


Never Die Again

by HeroicSpectre



Series: Love of a Fallen Human [4]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Chara was the narrator, Dark, Demons, Depression, Drama, Fantasy, Female Chara, Implied Sexual Content, Male Frisk, Multi, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Pre-Undertale, Romance, Torture, War, mass killings, suicidal behavior
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:40:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 66,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21698620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeroicSpectre/pseuds/HeroicSpectre
Summary: After two-thousand years, an unexpected consequence of the Human-Monster War emerges with a seductive promise. [Sequel to Frisk: God of the World / New Life]
Relationships: Alphys/Undyne, Chara/Frisk, OC/OC
Series: Love of a Fallen Human [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1146458
Comments: 25
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

**Thanks to coincidencless at Fanfiction.net for editing.**

* * *

**This story is part of a series.**

**Part 1 - Frisk: God of the World**

**Part 2 - New Life**

**Part 3 - Never Die Again (You are here)**

**If you haven't read the series up to this point, you might feel a little lost. If you have read the series up to this point, you will be even more lost.**

**Have fun!**

* * *

****

* * *

Cathleen Remire raised her axe high. Its blade glistened in the late afternoon sunlight, and she brought it down into the log of wood, splitting it clean in half. She sorted the two pieces into the pile and grabbed the next log, and so the cycle continued.

Her muscles ached, but Cathleen didn't mind. Without firewood, the villagers would freeze at night. It was a matter of life and death; she couldn't stop until there was enough for everyone. She lifted her axe back up and split another log, and the pieces fell to the ground. She panted. Alright, just a few…

"Hey, Cath! You doing okay there?"

She looked up and saw Dacuel Argien approach her, accompanied by Everette and Syleth. Dacuel gave her an ear-to-ear grin. He was a seventeen-year-old human with short, dark brown hair, a beard with a thin but complete frame of his handsome face, and red eyes, indicative of his red soul. He wore an olive tunic and gray slacks, and he had a bow and quiver strapped to his back. He had also slung a deer carcass around his shoulder, keeping it steady with one arm. The hunt had been successful, good. They needed to take whatever they could get.

Cathleen huffed. "I'm fine, Dacuel."

"You sure?" Dacuel asked. "You look like you could pass out at any moment. Why don't you take a break before you work yourself to death? I think you got enough for one day."

She sighed. "I appreciate the concern, really, but it'll take more than a few logs to kill me."

Dacuel lowered his head in a snarky bow. "Oh, forgive me, Your Grace. I should have known that a little woodcutting would be no problem for the great and powerful future chieftain of Garnet Village. Please excuse my foolishness."

"Damn right," Cathleen said. "Though, I guess it wouldn't hurt to take a short break…"

"Yeah," Everette said. "Please don't overwork yourself. No one wants to see you collapsed, Cathy."

Dacuel winked. "Well, not out here, anyway."

Everette gasped. "D-Dacuel! You can't just say things like…!"

Cathleen laughed it off. "It's fine, Everette."

He blushed. "Oh, uh, if you say so."

Everette Victor was a sixteen-year-old human. He wore a white tunic and brown slacks, and he had a medium-length bob of blond hair. Like Dacuel, he had red eyes. On his back was a sack with several plants sticking out the top. Cathleen eyed them. "Got anything useful?"

Everette's eyes sparkled. "Oh, yes! These herbs I found are great for dealing with colds. It's not a _cure_ , but it makes the coughing and pain much more bearable! I hope they'll help anyone who gets sick!"

Cathleen smiled. "I'm sure they will, good work."

"I also found some new fertilizer I'd like to try," Everette went on. "I know it's a while until planting season, but since our last harvest was a bit short I wanted to -"

"Yes, I understand," Cathleen said. "Thanks, Everette."

"O-of course," Everette said. "Didn't mean to get carried away."

Dacuel scoffed. "Forget the plants. Can we talk about how Ev masterfully took down this deer?" He pat the dead animal on its head. "You should have seen it. He pulled back the bowstring flawlessly and fired the arrow right into its neck, and the beast went down before it knew what hit him. It was a golden shot, truly. He's on his way to becoming a world-class huntsman."

"Oh, uh, I was just lucky," Everette said bashfully.

"Well," Dacuel said, "I guess you _did_ have an amazing teacher to guide you."

"Heh, yeah," Everette said. "Even with all the luck in the universe, I couldn't have done it without -"

Syleth gagged. "Ugh, enough already."

Cathleen's gaze turned to him. Syleth Kass was a boss monster resembling a heron. His slender, anthropomorphic body was covered in snow-white feathers. He had a yellow beak and sapphire eyes, long light blond hair, and he wore a white robe with light blue accents. His upper limbs functioned as both arms and wings, offering a wingspan wide enough for him to take flight, and there were four finger-like appendages on each end, allowing him to handle objects as well as a human. Though he had lived for fifteen years, his body was frozen at the age of ten, and so he was forever stuck with the small height and high-pitched voice of a child.

With a furrowed brow, Syleth leaned against the wagon he had been pulling, filled with jars of water. "Dare I ask what's wrong?" Cathleen said.

"Oh, you know how he is," Dacuel said. "Not the touchy-feely type. Doesn't like it when things get too sappy, must be an allergy. Poor thing."

Syleth rolled his eyes and ignored him. Meanwhile, Cathleen hungrily eyed the wagon full of water jugs. "I know you didn't make any promises, but did you manage to get that item I requested?"

Dacuel smiled. "Come on, Cath. We went out for two things, hunting and gathering water, and also plants because Everette is a nerd. You know we didn't have time for special orders. Can't you settle for a nice, steaming plate of venison?"

She frowned dejectedly. "I… I see. I suppose it was too much to ask, but it's alright. That deer will be perfectly acceptable."

Smirking, Dacuel grabbed a bag hidden within the jugs of water and handed it to Cathleen. "Don't worry; we _made_ time."

Cathleen gasped. She carefully opened the bag and peeked inside. She beamed. "Oh, you caught one!"

"Yep," Dacuel said. "One fish for our fearless leader."

Yes, yes! They had caught her a delicious salmon! Cathleen breathed deep and savored its heavenly aroma, earning some dubious stares from Everette and Syleth. "Thank you!" she exclaimed. "I can hardly wait to cook this up!"

"No problem," Dacuel said. "It was worth it just to loosen that stoic brow of yours for once."

She shot him a peeved glare. "Come now. Don't make me sound like some boorish slave driver. I know how to have fun."

He laughed. "Whatever you say, Empress."

She growled. "Dacuel…"

"What?" Dacuel asked. "I just like seeing a different side of you is all. It's nice to know that people have depth and complexity to them. You should try tapping into your easygoing side more often."

"And what of yourself?" Cathleen challenged. "Ever think that people might want to see you as anything other than a wisecracking jester? Perhaps you could try being more serious for once?"

"Oh, I can be serious," Dacuel said. "Don't you worry about that."

Cathleen sighed. "Well, whatever your motives may be, thanks for the fish. Now, let's take these supplies to storage."

"Yes," Everette said. "Let's do that."

Dacuel saluted. "Lead the way, Chieftain."

 _I'm just going to ignore that,_ Cathleen thought.

After loading the wood Cathleen had chopped onto the wagon, they headed for the gate to Garnet Village. As they approached, Cathleen viewed her home with admiration. With a population of over three-hundred, it was larger than most villages, but much more quaint than a bustling city. A wooden wall three times Cathleen's height protected its borders. She wished they could have used stone, but they unfortunately didn't have the expertise or resources for that. On the bright side, there was a tall watchtower overlooking the entrance. An eagle monster equipped with a bow and a blowhorn stood inside, ready to sound the alarm at the first sign of trouble. Cathleen prayed it would help prevent another tragedy like the one they had suffered five years ago.

They approached the wooden gate, which was guarded by a human and a dog monster, both outfitted with chainmail armor and spears. Cathleen waved at them. "Greetings, anything to report?"

"Ah, hello Cathleen," the dog - affectionately called Guard Dog - replied. "As a matter of fact, Seth and Elara returned about an hour ago, said they needed to speak with your father."

Cathleen shivered inside, but she maintained an expression of confidence. "Did they now? I hope they have good news."

"They wouldn't say," Guard Dog said, "but I don't think it was good at all. This dog knows bad news when he smells it."

The human guard nodded. "Yeah, it didn't look good."

She frowned. "If so, I can't say it was unexpected. In any case, thanks for the warning."

Guard Dog gave an affirmative bark. "Anytime!"

Cathleen and the others passed through the gate and stepped inside the village. An even mix of humans and monsters walked through the streets going about their business, surrounded by simple wooden homes that densely filled the village. The monsters came in all shapes and sizes, wolves, dragons, deer, slimes, ghosts, whatever one could imagine.

As for the humans, red eyes were a common sight among them. For every human villager Cathleen looked at, there was a fifty-percent chance that the crimson eyes of a fellow red soul bearer would stare back at her, an unusually high percentage compared to most of the world. In fact, it was the village's namesake. Cathleen wasn't too concerned about that, though. She was proud that Garnet Village was a place where humans and monsters could coexist peacefully.

Suddenly, Syleth threw open his wings and cried out with rage. "Alright! That's it! It's official! We're all _dead!_ "

Everette whimpered. "Don't say that. We don't know if -"

"Oh, but we do," Syleth said darkly. "They're gonna kill us all, every last one of us."

Dacuel shrugged. "I mean, maybe? I guess it's a possibility."

Cathleen hardly wished to imagine would happen if the Human Alliance attacked. If they went through with a declaration of war against monsterkind, Garnet Village would be among the first on the chopping block. There were too many humans and monsters in one place. The Alliance would send the largest and most powerful army they had. Hundreds, perhaps _thousands_ of soldiers marching at their wooden gates, armed with military-grade weapons and deadly mages. The village wouldn't stand a chance; they would be slaughtered. Everything they had built, all of her friends, gone, never to return. The thought of such a massacre made Cathleen sick.

But, Cathleen couldn't show her fear. If she was going to lead the village one day, she had to put on a brave face and inspire her people with hope. She had to make her friends believe that there was still a chance for peace. "Everette's right," Cathleen said. "It's too soon to say what will happen. For now, let's get to my father's house and see how Seth's negotiations went."

Syleth folded his wings. "Hmph."

They kept moving, dragging their supply wagon all the way to Cathleen's home, the residence of the village Chieftain. Naturally, it was a finer house than those of the common villagers. It was two floors tall, had a front porch, and had windows along each side, all luxuries that most of the other homes lacked. Cathleen felt spoiled by it. Had it been up to her, she would have been perfectly fine living like the rest of her people, but she knew that a noble family - even a lesser one - needed to demonstrate their power. As long as it didn't get _too_ extravagant, Cathleen supposed she could indulge a bit.

She approached the front porch and saw Father talking with Seth and Elara. There were still there, good. Cathleen could hear what they had to say directly. As she got closer, she heard Father speak with a raised voice. "Have you lost your mind? There's no way I'd ever…" His head turned towards her. "Oh, Cathleen. You're back. How did the woodcutting go?"

"Sufficiently," Cathleen answered. Her eyes shifted between the three. Her father, Jerald Remire, was a forty-four-year-old human with short light brown hair and the green eyes of a kindness soul. He wore an orange coat lined with white fur and gray pants, and he had a battle axe strapped to his waist.

Seth Gilbert, a forty-nine-year-old human, was a knight in service of the village. He wore a full suit of steel plate armor, had a sword on his waist, and a shield on his back. His ginger hair went down to his shoulders, and he had a small beard on his chin. His red eyes showed that he was another soul of determination.

Elara Gilbert, Seth's daughter, was a sixteen-year-old human. Her long hair was the same color as her father's, and she had red eyes as well. She wore a dark blue dress and carried a magical staff.

Cathleen hoped one of them would fill her in on the situation. "May I ask what you were discussing?"

"Cathleen, it's horrible!" Elara cried. "The Alliance is actually doing it! They're trying to pass a declaration of war against the entirety of monsterkind, and nations all around the world are backing it! I don't know if we can stop this!"

Cathleen's red eyes widened. "H-hold on, are you saying the Alliance's reach has escalated to a global scale?"

"Wish I could say 'no'," Elara said, "but I can't. Sorry!"

Cathleen gaped in shock. "How many?"

"It's dire," Seth said. "The tale of Bora's grim deeds traveled at a rapid pace. I imagine that all but the most dedicated hermits know of it. Dozens of nations all across Earth have pledged their support for the Alliance, demanding swift action. They've proposed two options. Either the monsters agree to be sealed within underground caverns by powerful magic barriers, or the Alliance will declare war on all of monsterkind."

Cathleen felt a chill run down her spine. It was worse than she had thought. She had known that dozens of nations would join the Alliance, but the entire world? Had she really been so naïve to think that at least a few would stand with the monsters? Her face twisted into a dark grimace. _Is there nothing we can do?_

"Of course they will," Syleth said. "What else could anyone expect?"

"Sealed underground?" Everette asked. "But, then we'll never see them again. How will they even survive like that?"

"Nice to know the Alliance is so merciful," Dacuel said. "An eternity in an underground paradise with no sunlight. Harvest must be _spectacular_ down there. Sign me up!"

"How have the monsters responded?" Cathleen asked.

"King Asgore Dreemurr is leading negotiations," Seth answered. "He intends to investigate a countermeasure against any monsters who assimilate human souls, but the Alliance is highly skeptical that such a solution exists. Even if there is one, they say, it will take more time to discover than we have. Until they declare war, however, King Asgore has expressly forbidden all monsters from claiming any souls or striking first. Like most monsters, he believes it to be a sinful power that must never be touched."

Cathleen's felt her stomach twist. It was a complicated dilemma. On one hand, she understood how dangerous that power was. If the six souls Bora had absorbed hadn't broken free, there was no telling how much damage she would have done. On the other hand, taking human souls may have been the only way to save monsterkind. What was the right decision?

"If you ask me," Seth said, "the King has made a grave error. Now that we know of this power, we have no choice but to use it, or every monster on Earth will be exterminated, our village included. We cannot stand idle while -"

"Enough!" Father cried. "I will not dare consider this for a moment. No matter what happens, we are _not_ using that power. I will not justify the Alliance's war. Everyone in this village will follow Asgore's command; is that clear?"

"Think this through!" Seth argued. "When the Alliance comes marching at our gates, do you really want to be responsible for the massacre that will happen?"

"You should listen to him," Syleth said. "It's about time someone started making sense around here."

"Yes!" Seth said. "Please, Jerald! We must…!"

"Damn it, Seth!" Father snapped. "King Asgore and I are both giving you an order, and that's final. If you so much as suggest sacrificing anyone's soul one more time, I will have no choice but to lock you up. Understand?"

Cathleen grew tense. She knew that her father wasn't bluffing. Seth had always been a loyal knight, but if he kept pushing him… Cathleen hoped it didn't come to that.

As Seth's face reddened, Elara gently held his hand. "Father, don't…"

Seth growled. "I see my words will not sway you, so be it. If there's nothing else, I will take my leave. Just know that if we continue to do nothing, I fear that we are all doomed to misfortune." He glanced at Elara. "Let's go."

Elara frowned and nervously shifted her eyes. "Umm, actually, can I stay? We've only just got back, and I want to…"

Seth sighed. "Fine, I'll see you back home."

Elara smiled. "Thanks, Father."

Shooting an irate glance at Father, Seth walked away. Cathleen frowned. She had never seen them so hostile before; the threat of war had sent everyone on edge. She hated it.

Father gave Elara an apologetic frown. "Sorry if I scared you, and thanks for the help."

"It's okay," Elara said. "I know you'd never hurt him. I just wish we didn't have to deal with all this."

"Yeah," Dacuel agreed. "Everything was great until that Bora monster ate her husband and decided to go on a bloodthirsty rampage. Who knew that our wildest mythologies would suddenly become real?"

Elara gave a weary laugh. "Ah, Dacuel. You never cease to put a smile on my face."

Cathleen wasn't so amused. She shook her head in disgust. "This is nothing to joke about," she said. "If Bora hadn't killed those people, we wouldn't have an impending war on our hands."

"It was only a matter of time," Syleth said bitterly.

"He's got a point there," Dacuel said. "I'm surprised it took as long as it did for a monster to try dining on some poor human's soul and becoming a world-destroying angel of death."

Everette muttered something, but it was too quiet for anyone to hear. Dacuel smiled reassuringly and held his shoulder. "What is it, Ev?"

"Isn't there any sort of counter?" Everette asked. "I get why this soul thing is dangerous, but there's gotta be some kind of balance to it, right?"

"That's what we're hoping for," Father said. "King Asgore has his best scholars working on the problem. I'm sure they'll find a solution before things get out of hand."

Cathleen looked at him sadly. "I wish I could agree, but how can you be so certain?"

"I have to be," Father answered, "because I don't know what I'll do if I'm wrong."

"Die, probably," Syleth said.

Father nodded solemnly. "That is the unfortunate truth of it, yes."

Syleth clenched his wings. "And you're gonna let that happen? Why? Just let someone absorb a soul already. Problem solved."

Father scowled. "Listen, kid. If anyone absorbs a soul, your people will have to fight a war against all of humanity. You can't -"

Syleth threw open his wings and laughed bitterly. "Oh, yeah? Like that's not going to happen anyway? You're telling me we should just lie down and let the humans slaughter us?!"

"We don't know enough about this power," Father said. "It's too dangerous. With just six souls, Bora had the power to wipe out an entire village. What if she had gotten ten? A hundred? A thousand? It damn well could be the end of the world."

Syleth scoffed. "You need to grow a spine, _Chieftain._ I can't believe such a pathetic man is in charge of this village."

An inferno roared in Cathleen's crimson eyes as she glared at Syleth. "Watch your tongue."

"Oh, I'm _sorry_ ," Syleth said with a condescending bow. "Did I hurt your poor pacifist feelings? If your sorry excuse for a father keeps this up, we'll all -"

Cathleen slammed her fist into Syleth's jaw. The blow sent him reeling as he gasped with pain and shock. Feeling a slight sting in her hand, Cathleen stared daggers into him. "Call either of us weak again, and I'll snap that beak of yours."

Elara gasped as her eyes widened in terror. "H-hey! Cut it out! Both of you! We're all friends here, aren't we?"

Dacuel frowned. "Whoa there, Cath. Isn't that a bit much?"

Cathleen huffed as she kept her crimson eyes on Syleth. No one talked to her father like that. No one. As she raised her fist for another punch, Father reached out and grabbed her shoulder. "Cathleen, no!"

Cathleen gasped and stopped in her tracks. "Huh?"

Holding the spot where she had struck him, Syleth gave another bitter laugh. "Thanks for letting me know whose side you're on."

She grimaced. "Th-that's not…"

Father turned her over so she was facing him. "What are you doing?!" he yelled. "Control your temper, Cathleen! You know better than this!"

Cathleen took a deep breath and lowered her fist. She was still angry, but she did regret her snap reaction. Even if Syleth was being an asshole, she shouldn't have lashed out like that. She turned back towards him and bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Syleth. That was unbecoming of me. I will make no excuses."

Syleth hissed. "Not enough."

Cathleen frowned, but she nodded in understanding. "Yes, I imagine a mere apology won't -"

"No," Syleth said.

Cathleen blinked in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

"If you were really afraid, you would agree with me," Syleth said.

Her lips parted as Syleth's words sunk in. _He thinks I'm taking it too lightly?_ Cathleen thought. The accusation cut deep. If she was really concerned for the safety of her people - her friends - wouldn't she do everything in her power to protect them? She looked at her father. Why was he more scared of the monsters' power than the Alliance's war?

"We're all afraid," Father said, "but we can't let that fear control our judgment. The solution is to _destroy_ that power, not use it. Stealing another's soul is a sin that never needs to be committed, and I'll be damned if it ever happens under my watch."

"I'm inclined to agree," Dacuel chimed in. "I just hope we can get rid of it before it's too late."

Elara smiled cheerfully. "That's the spirit! Asgore and his friends will fix this right away!"

"But there's gotta be something _we_ can do," Everette said. He hummed. "I wonder if the library has anything that could help. I really am shocked that the soulologists hadn't predicted this sooner. N-not that I'm trying to point fingers at anyone!"

Dacuel sighed wistfully. "Ah, Ev. Always lost in your books."

Everette pursed his lips. "Umm, are you making fun of me?"

"Make fun of you?" Dacuel asked incredulously. "How could I make fun of you? Your librarian skills are going to save us all one day. I could _never_ mock that."

Everette nervously averted his eyes. "Uh, yeah, can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not."

Smiling playfully, Dacuel held his chest as if an arrow had pierced it. "Everette, you wound me! How could you doubt the sincerity of my friendship? I would never _Everette_ lie to you, Everette! Ever!"

Syleth and Cathleen both groaned. How could he make jokes like that in such dire circumstances? As Cathleen had told him, he needed to take things more seriously.

Everette smiled. "Sorry, Dacuel. I know you care."

"Of course I care," Dacuel said. "Now, get to that library and tell us exactly how to convince the Alliance not to burn our village to the ground."

"Yes, I will!" Everette exclaimed. "Our future depends on it! I won't let you down!" He turned and immediately ran into the distance.

Cathleen chuckled. "And he's off."

Dacuel grinned. "Hear that, Cath? 'Our future depends on it!' I get the sense that he wasn't talking about the village, if you know what I mean." He waggled his eyebrows.

She blushed. "Oh, well, I'm not the sort of person to ask about that kind of thing."

Elara squealed. "Ooooh, that is _so_ cute! I mean, I know we have more important things to worry about, but still!"

"Yeah," Dacuel said. "Anyway, how are you doing, Elara?"

She smiled. "About as well as you'd expect."

"That bad, huh?" Dacuel asked.

Elara nodded. "I know the Alliance isn't pure evil or anything, but they're _pure evil!_ "

"Oh, I love contradictions!" Dacuel quipped. "I just hate them so much!"

"I mean, I get it," Elara said. "Every human has a soul, every monster can take a soul, who knows how powerful a monster could get with enough souls, but can they not give us some time to figure it out before doing anything rash?"

"You know what I don't get?" Dacuel asked. "Why underground?"

Cathleen stroked her chin as she contemplated their situation. "As much as I hate to admit it, the quarantine does seem like a fair compromise. It would give the monsters all the time they need to find some balancing measure without being a threat, and once they succeed, the humans can set them free again."

Syleth folded his wings. "Hmph, how naïve."

"Okay, I follow that much," Dacuel said, "but why _underground_ , specifically? This barrier can't just block off the entrance to a cave, right? Wouldn't it have to be a full box? Sphere? Pyramid? Tetrahedron? Whatever, it's gotta surround them completely, right? Otherwise they could just dig a tunnel back to the surface and forget the barrier ever existed."

"Yeah," Elara said. "The proposed barrier would be summoned by seven of humanity's greatest magicians, and only a power equivalent to the combined might of seven human souls could destroy it. The monsters would never come anywhere close to that. Fully surrounded, they'd never be able to escape."

"Right," Dacuel said, "so why not just let them have their own territory _above_ ground, where the sun _does_ shine, and where the harvest _doesn't_ suck?"

"Well," Elara said, "that's because… huh…"

Cathleen hummed. "I get the feeling you are questioning things not meant to be questioned."

"That's humanity for you," Syleth muttered.

"And how did the good King Asgore react to this underground barrier idea?" Dacuel asked.

"Oh, he was _not_ happy _at all_ ," Elara answered. "He swears that he and his people will fight to the death before going down there."

"Huh, I'm impressed," Syleth said. "Maybe that pushover has half a spine after all."

"Makes sense," Dacuel said. "The least the Alliance could do is make a better offer than underground."

Cathleen frowned. "I certainly see your point," she said. "Segregating all of monsterkind is one thing, but underground? What purpose could that possibly serve?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Syleth asked. "They want to dwindle our numbers, watch us slowly die off to starvation while they kick back and relax with the surface all to themselves. Separate but equal? Please, they want to _dominate_ us. They won't be satisfied until we're all dust beneath their feet."

Cathleen wished she could dispute that, but how could she? He was right. Not even a year ago she would have laughed at the idea of humanity uniting under one banner, but here they were, forming a global alliance to wage war against monsterkind. She couldn't blame Syleth for hating them.

"… so," Elara said, "how's everyone doing? Anything exciting happen while I was gone?"

Cathleen smirked. "Changing the subject? Very well. Harvest was a bit lacking, but otherwise it's been business as usual."

"Business as usual?" Dacuel asked. "Are you crazy? Everette killed a deer today, thanks to the guidance of yours truly. It will be a feast for kings."

"Oh, yummy!" Elara exclaimed. "Can it also be a feast for Elaras?"

"Sure, I'll save you a sliver," Dacuel said.

Elara pouted. "Aww, just a sliver? Come on, Dacuel. I traveled halfway across the world trying to convince pompous nobles not to join the Alliance, all while my father was breathing down my neck. Can't you help a poor, tormented mage out?"

Dacuel laughed. "I'm kidding; you can have as much as you want, unless you're so hungry you can eat the whole deer."

Elara grinned and threw up her arm excitedly. "Yay!"

"Let's meet at the campground after sunset," Dacuel said. "Don't worry, I'll pry Everette away from his books, or at least away from the library with a bag full of books. He'll be there."

Cathleen's mouth watered thinking about that fish. "A fine plan," she said. "Perhaps we can discuss solutions to our ongoing crisis while we eat."

Dacuel sighed. "It's always business with you, Cath, but it _is_ a crisis. I'll give you a pass for this one."

Cathleen cracked a challenging smile. "Oh? You think I need your permission? As much as you mock me for it, I _will_ become Chieftain of this village one day, and you'd do well to remember who's in charge."

Dacuel stretched his arms around the back of his head. "Careful, Cath. You're not gonna end up being some ruthless tyrant, are you? Your people have rights too, you know."

"But of course," Cathleen said. "I don't intend to trample on your freedom like those Alliance pigs, but I won't be held back, either." She balled her hand into a tight fist. "We must crush anyone who dares threaten us."

"Sure, sure," Dacuel said. "You can tell me all about your grand scheme to destroy the Alliance over dinner. I'll see you there."

With a casual wave, Dacuel walked away and disappeared into the village. Meanwhile, Elara looked at Cathleen and smiled. "Well, it was nice to see you again."

She nodded. "Indeed, though I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Yep," Elara said. "See you at dinner."

Cathleen waved goodbye. "See you, Elara."

As Elara left, Cathleen looked awkwardly at Syleth. "Hey, I really am sorry for losing my control. I _am_ on your side, Syleth. I swear."

Syleth's eyes darted coldly between her and Father. "We'll see about that." He flapped his wings and flew away into air, leaving Cathleen alone with her father.

Cathleen sighed. She still wasn't sure who was right. She looked at Father for guidance. "Father, are you sure we shouldn't use that power?"

"We can't," Father said. "We'd be like children playing with fire; it's not an option."

Cathleen was surprised by the conviction in his voice. "How is this such an easy decision for you?"

"I never said it was," Father answered. "I admit, I understand why Seth and Syleth are so opposed to my choice. We are risking everything we have, but I know it's the right decision. War is a disease, and you don't cure a disease by spreading it to others."

Cathleen pursed her lips. It was a fine sentiment, but not always a practical one. If the Alliance attacked, she wanted to be ready.

"I can tell you're doubtful," Father said. "That's alright. Just promise you'll remember one thing; those who don't know the dangers of wielding power are doomed to be ruled by it. Never forget that."

Right. Like Dacuel said, a ruler had to take care not to be a tyrant. She nodded. "I will take those words to heart; I promise."

Father smiled. "That's the most I can ask for. I love you, Cathleen."

She smiled and held him in a warm embrace. "I love you, too, Father."

Father hugged her back. "Your mother would be so proud to see how you've grown."

 _Ah, come on. Don't bring her up._ Reaching her fill of sappiness for one day, Cathleen pulled away from Father. "Alright, I still have some work to attend to. I'll see you later."

"I'll let you get to it," Father said. "See you later, Cathleen."

She began walking back to the supply wagon. She was looking forward to dinner, but it was difficult to relax knowing how much danger the village was in. Until they were safe, she wouldn't be able to truly rest.

The sun began to set.

* * *

As the moon shined overhead, Cathleen sat with her friends by a warm campfire. Well, not all of them. Dacuel and Elara ate venison while Everette's face was buried in a book, but Syleth's absence loomed over Cathleen like a dark cloud. How badly had she angered him? She hoped they would be back on speaking terms soon.

She looked at the grilled fish skewered on a stick in her hand. _At least I have salmon._ She sunk her teeth into her it. Every bite was full of exquisite flavor, almost as good as Mother's cooking. _Ah, I needed this._

Dacuel, Syleth, and Elara ate their plates of venison, while Everette's face was buried in a book. Dacuel leaned over his shoulder. "Aren't you gonna eat?" Dacuel asked, his mouth full of meat. "This is your victory; you gotta claim the spoils!"

"Right, sorry," Everette apologized. He popped a piece of venison into his mouth and kept reading. Cathleen hoped he was learning something useful.

Dacuel swallowed his venison. "Anything interesting?"

"Well," Everette said, "I can understand why monsters with human souls are so powerful. It's estimated that the average human soul contains the strength of about one-million monster souls. However, our physical bodies prevent us from realizing the full potential of our souls. Monsters, on the other hand, are mostly made of magic, allowing them much more control of it. Combine the magical superiority of monsters with the raw might of humans, and you get a being that could level entire cities, if not more."

"Yeah, that's great and all," Dacuel said, "but I was really hoping there'd be some good news involved."

"Still looking," Everette said. "Trying my best, but it's hard to research something that was only just discovered. No one knew that putting someone's soul in another body was a thing. Although…"

"Yes…?" Dacuel asked.

Everette shook his head. "Nothing, forget it."

"No, that wasn't nothing," Dacuel pressed. "I _really_ want to hear what you have to say."

Everette nervously shifted his eyes. "Okay, but can you promise to keep an open mind?"

Dacuel winked. "My mind is _always_ open for you, Ev."

"... right," Everette said. "Okay..." He took a deep breath. "Demons."

The campground was silent, save for the cicadas' song and the flickering flame of the campfire.

"… demons?" Elara asked. "Like, with the horns and brimstone and stuff?"

"N-no, not those demons," Everette stammered. "I know it sounds crazy, but I've read all kinds of stories - _real_ stories - where people claim they were manipulated and ultimately possessed by a demon. I'm starting to think there may be some truth to them."

No frown Cathleen wore could adequately express her concern for Everette's psychological well-being. "Umm, I see. What makes you say that?"

"The concept has been proven," Everette asserted. "Thanks to Bora, we know that it's possible to store multiple minds in one body. If a human consciousness can exist within a monster, why not another human? I think -"

"Umm, actually," Elara interjected, "soulologists have proven that a human cannot absorb another human soul. Humans and monsters can only absorb a soul of the opposite race, so I really don't think this demon thing is possible."

Everette's eyes remained lost in thought. "Well, maybe humans can't absorb the _soul_ , but what about something else? Hmm…" His face lit up like he was onto something big. "You know that tradition we have at monster funerals? When a monster dies, we collect their dust and scatter it on their favorite object, so their essence will live on within that object. Perhaps when a human soul shatters, it's possible for their essence to persist with the help of another human."

Cathleen stared at him in disbelief. She didn't buy his theory at all. Human ghosts? It was absurd. Everette was grasping at straws, and it was getting them nowhere. She shot him a reproachful glare. "Everette, may I remind you that not everything you read in a book is true?"

Everette quivered anxiously. "I-I'm aware, but I've checked several sources and it seems to add up. It's not just common criminals. Incredibly powerful killers like Chidi the Cunning and Eleanor the Cruel have claimed to have received their strength from demons, and others like Michael the Tormentor have claimed to be demons themselves. Th-they're not all bad, though! The legendary hero Jason the Wise said he was guided by the voice of a kind monk. Naturally, no one believed their stories, but -"

" _Exactly_ ," Cathleen said. "They are nothing more than lunatics wracked with delusions. You'd do well not to believe such childish nonsense."

Everette frowned miserably. "But…"

"Hey, let's give him a chance," Dacuel said. "Ev, let's say you're right about these ghost people; where exactly are you going with this?"

Everette nodded. "Y-yes, of course. If these demons are as powerful as the legends say, I believe they could counter the threat monsters with human souls pose. If we can just find one and get them on our side, we could learn so much."

"Wait, wouldn't that just make things worse?" Elara asked. "If monsters are bad because they're too strong, and if demons are even stronger, wouldn't they just be the new problem?"

"N-not necessarily," Everette said. "I'm hoping that it could provide balance somehow. Strong being of monster origin, strong being of human origin. This way it won't be one-sided, so…"

Cathleen's brow furrowed even more intensely. She refused to squander another second on this insanity. "It doesn't matter!" she snapped. "I guarantee that demons won't be a threat to anyone, for there is no such thing. They _don't exist_. Quit wasting our time on wish-fulfilling fairy tales and focus on reality!"

Everette looked away from her in a mix of bewilderment and fear. "Wh… why are you so opposed to the idea?"

Cathleen paused. Why? Did that really need an explanation? Because… it was absurd. Humans coming back as demons? That wasn't how… "That's not how it works. Death is the inevitable end that awaits us all. Death is final. Death is absolute. When you die, you don't come back. To believe otherwise is merely… wishful thinking." A salty liquid welled up in her eyes.

She wished it weren't true. Really, she did, but she couldn't live in a fantasy. Reality was cruel, and it could take those she loved most at any time, without any warning. Demons? Resurrection? If only…

"I… guess it does sound too good to be true," Everette said, "but what if it is? Shouldn't we at least…?"

_No, don't…_

_Don't give me hope._

"… try?"

Cathleen shook her head. "No, that would only drive us mad. No matter how much we may want to, we can't do the impossible. The dead are gone forever, and we have to accept that."

Elara's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, Cathy… I don't think _that's_ what he's trying to do. He's not saying _anyone_ can come back. Right, Everette?"

"Uh, yeah," Everette said. "I don't think just anyone can do it. For one thing, all those figures I mentioned had one thing in common; they all had red souls, the soul of determination. It's just a theory, but I'm guessing that only humans with an exceptionally strong determination soul are able to resurrect as demons, and they need another powerful soul to awaken them. That would explain why they're so rare. Only the strongest few can do it."

Cathleen smiled wryly. Only red souls, huh? Mother's soul had been yellow. Even in Everette's fantasies, it would be impossible.

"You okay, Cath?" Dacuel asked.

She wiped her eyes and ate the rest of her fish. Once she was done, she tossed the stick into the fire and stood. "It's getting late," she said. "I should return home. See you tomorrow."

As she turned to leave, she felt Elara's hand grab her shoulder. "Cathleen…"

She looked back and saw all three of them staring at her with sad eyes, and she cursed herself for showing such weakness. _How could I be so pathetic? It's my job to lead them._ She regained her strength and faced them like steel. "I'm fine," she said. "After all, I wasn't the only one who suffered that day. I'm no worse off than the rest of you."

_Just look at Syleth. He had it much worse than I did._

"Doesn't mean you don't deserve help," Dacuel said. "If you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm available anytime. Even after five years, I know a scar like that can still hurt."

She smiled and shook her head. "Please, don't make me sound like such a crybaby. I'm a big girl; I can get over it."

"I'm sorry, Cathleen," Everette apologized. "I should have known that -"

Cathleen felt like she had been punched in the gut. Everette wasn't the one who needed to apologize. "No," she said. "The fault was mine. You're only trying to help, and I overreacted. I'm sorry."

"Still," Everette said, "I'm sorry I brought up those memories."

Cathleen sighed. "Alright, but I really am weary. I'm sure a good night's rest will make everything better."

"Okay," Elara said. "Goodnight, Cathy."

"Goodnight," Everette said.

"'Night, Cath," Dacuel said.

After bidding farewell, Cathleen headed home.

* * *

As he sat inside his home, Seth heard a knock on the door. Normally, he would have hoped that it was his daughter, but tonight, there was someone else that he wanted to see. He wondered if his wish would be granted. He got up and walked to the door. "Who is it?" he called.

"It's me."

 _So it is._ Seth opened the door and greeted his guest. "Mr. Kass, you have something to ask of me?"

Syleth nodded. "May I come in?"

"Of course," Seth said. He stepped aside and allow Syleth to enter. He closed the door and looked at him intently. "How may I be of service?"

"You know why I'm here," Syleth said. "Will you give it to me?"

Without hesitation, Seth nodded. "Yes, I fear it is the only way to save our village."

"Then there's nothing more to say," Syleth said. "Will you do it, or shall I?"

Brimming with determination, Seth drew his sword. "I'm counting on you, Kass." He gripped his sword with both hands and held it against his neck.

_This is what I must do. If I don't, Elara will…_

Suddenly, an icy fear seized Seth's heart. If he did what Syleth had asked… they had already lost Elara's mother to the bandits. Without him, Elara would be all alone, and he would forever be parted with her. Was she ready for that? Was _he_ ready for that?

" _Father, no!" Elara screamed. "Don't do it! Don't leave me, too! Please!"_

His blade trembled in his hands. He had to scan his surroundings to be sure, but that voice was only in mind. Elara wasn't here, but if she were…

Seth lowered his blade. "On second thought, perhaps it wouldn't be wise to act so rashly. Let's wait before resorting to such drastic measures."

Syleth's eyes twitched with fury. "You coward…"

Seth looked away in shame. Perhaps he was a coward, but he couldn't abandon Elara unless he absolutely had to. "I'm not saying I won't do it," he said. "Let's just take some time to see how it plays out first. Perhaps -"

"No!" Syleth yelled. "You said it yourself; this is the only way! But now that it's your head on the line, you suddenly think otherwise? Go to hell!"

"If the need arises, I will make that sacrifice immediately," Seth swore, "but until then -"

Syleth shook his head and stepped forward. "If you won't give it willingly, then I'll just -"

Seth thrust his sword, stopping the blade just before it pierced Syleth's neck. He froze stiff, but his gaze continued to burn with rage rather than fear. They both knew that a monster with the body of a ten-year-old was no match for a human knight. "I don't want to," Seth warned, "but I will."

Syleth snarled as he backed away. "You're all worthless. When this village burns and you hear your daughter's dying screams, know that you could have stopped it if you weren't so weak." He barged out the door and flew away into the night sky.

With a deep breath, Seth sheathed his sword. His own actions had shocked him. He had been certain that he would allow Syleth to take his soul, but when the moment had come, his feet had grown cold. He wanted - needed - to protect Elara, but he couldn't throw his life away, either. Was finding a way to save the village without dying really so much to ask for? Self-preservation was the key to victory.

 _Don't worry, Elara,_ he thought. _If it comes to it, I will give my life to protect you, but until then, I will stay by your side._

Seth waited for Elara to return home.

* * *

Guard Dog shook himself awake as his heavy eyelids threatened to blind him. He looked at the dark sky, no sign of dawn yet. Guard Dog was committed to the safety of Garnet Village, but he would have been lying if he said that the night shift wasn't painfully dull. Nothing in, nothing out. Just a closed gate and the dark of night. All he needed to do was stay alert on the off chance that someone attacked, but that hadn't happened in five years.

However, Guard Dog was more tense than usual, knowing that peace between humans and monsters was on the verge of collapse. The Alliance could attack at any moment, and if they did, it was up to him to warn the village. Even a few minutes of preparation could make the difference between life and death. He had to remain alert; they were all counting on him.

Unfortunately, he couldn't see very far through the darkness. Fyson - the hawk monster in the watchtower - had better visibility. Guard Dog glanced at him. "Anything out there?"

"Nothing," Fyson responded.

All clear, then. The only enemy around was excruciating boredom. That wasn't to say Guard Dog _wanted_ trouble, but he needed _something_ to do. Maybe he could try writing a book. What could he write about? _One night, Guard Dog guarded the village, and nothing happened._

He sighed. He shouldn't have been thinking such delinquent thoughts. Sure, his job may not have been the most exhilarating, but it was crucial to the villagers' safety. At least he had some fine allies by his side. He looked at Frederick, his fellow guardsman standing on the other end of the gate. He was a deadly warrior who had single-handedly killed nine bandits during the raid five years ago. If the Alliance attacked, Guard Dog knew that Frederick would make them pay.

Frederick's gaze remained fixed into the distance without a hint of weariness. Was he truly as steadfast as he looked? "Hey, how are you holding up?" Guard Dog asked.

"I'm good," Frederick replied. "Don't fall asleep on me."

Guard Dog turned away in embarrassment. He must have seen him almost dozing off. With renewed vigor, he peered into the surrounding field with his eyes wide open. No matter how dull it was, he would defend Garnet Village until…

"Mmmph!"

Guard Dog gagged as something crushed his neck while a sharp pain pierced his chest. He looked down and saw the blade that had stabbed right through his armor, into his heart. His mind screamed with pain and confusion. _Wh-what? How?!_

As his strength waned, he turned to his right and saw Frederick suffering the same fate. A figure clad in black leather armor had grabbed him by the neck and plunged a dagger into his heart. Guard Dog looked right and saw Fyson in the grip of a third assassin. He cursed silently. How had they not seen them? Invisibility? That had to be it. Even with the cover of night, there was no other way they would have missed them.

"C-cowards," Guard Dog wheezed. It wasn't fair. They hadn't given him a chance. No warrior deserved to die like this. If he had to die, he wanted to die fighting, not to an assassin's blade. Anger burned in his soul, but it wasn't enough to stop his body from dissolving into dust. He had sworn to protect the village, and he had failed. He wished…

The village, what would happen to…?

* * *

Syleth couldn't sleep.

How could he? There was a job that he needed to do, because no one else would do it. One soul was all he needed to save monsterkind from destruction. One soul, and millions of lives would be spared. He just needed one soul. One human was all it took to save his species.

But nobody would.

Jerald? Useless. Cathleen? Useless. Dacuel? Useless. Seth? Oh, Seth… Syleth had made the foolish mistake of giving his hopes up for him, but as he should have known, Seth had refused to deliver. No one was going to give up their soul willingly.

So Syleth had to take one.

He wasn't an idiot. He knew that most humans would destroy his frail magical body without breaking a sweat. He needed to be smart about it. Maybe if he just payed a visit to the hospice, one of the fleshbags would croak and leave their soul free for the taking, no murder required. It was perfectly ethical! Why hadn't he thought of this sooner? Syleth spread his wings and flew into the sky.

… _where was the hospice again?_

Damn it. The village wasn't very big, but the hospice wasn't a place Syleth had frequented. Monsters rarely got sick, after all. No matter. Maybe the guard could point him in the right direction. He flew to the village gate and looked for them.

No one was there.

Perching on a nearby roof, Syleth tilted his head. Where were they? Those slackers hadn't left their posts, had they? He peered into the watchtower. No guard was inside, but he saw…

Syleth gasped. _Is that…?_ He hopped off the roof and flew into the watchtower. He scratched his talon along the floor, drawing a line through the gray coating. No mistake. It was the dust of a monster. Someone had…? He turned towards the gate, and he saw another dust pile, as well as the bloody corpse of a human guard.

Syleth felt a nauseating pain in his stomach. Was this how it felt to be sick?

He shook it off. Where were the killers…? Syleth heard footsteps. Lots of them. He looked into the field outside the gate, and his eyes nearly popped out of his skull. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of armored soldiers marched towards the gate of Garnet Village, about one minute away. A jolt ran through Syleth's spine. An Alliance army was _one minute_ away from breaching the gate, and they had no idea.

Trembling, Syleth glanced at the dust beneath his talons. _I-idiot! You had one job!_

Wait, if they had killed the guard, then…? Among the Alliance army, he saw several heads turn to face him. Oh, no. He had to _move_ , and he needed to sound the alarm, _now_. On the dusty floor, he saw the guard's blowhorn. He snatched it with his talons, flew into the air, and blew on it as hard as he could. The instrument boomed loudly enough to wake the whole village. Relief washed over him. At least they…

"AAAAAAHHHH!"

With a flash of light, an excruciating electric current ran through Syleth's body. Some Alliance mage must have shot lightning at him. He could barely keep his eyes open, and he lost control of his wings. He went plummeting into the village below.

_No, no, no, no, no!_

He landed with an earth-shattering thud, and everything went black.

* * *

Cathleen gasped as the sound of a blowhorn immediately woke her up. The alarm?! Was it…? No, it couldn't be. Not even a day after Seth and Elara had returned, and they were under attack? It was too soon. Were they really out of time already?

She jumped again as a bright flash of light poured through her windows. Shortly after, the ground shook with a booming tremor. What was happening?! Cathleen raced out of her bed. Good thing she had decided to sleep fully clothed, aside from her boots of course. She put them on and grabbed her combat axe, and she ran out the door into the hall, nearly crashing into Father. He glanced at the axe in her hand and nodded. "Good."

Without wasting any time, they both ran down the stairs and through the front door. As they dashed outside, Cathleen saw several meteors of flame rain down towards the village, illuminating everything with a red light. She and Father dived out of the way as one crashed into their house, engulfing the roof in fire. Cathleen clenched her fist. She knew who had done this, and she was going to kill as many as she could.

Father clicked this tongue. "How are they already in range? The guards should have warned us!"

Cathleen turned to the direction of the south gate. "Let's go ask them."

Father nodded. "Agreed, hurry."

They sprinted for the main gate. As they moved through the streets, villagers crept out of their homes with scared and confused faces, and as more fire battered the streets and houses, they screamed, fleeing in terror as fire spread around them. Cathleen whimpered, knowing it was going to be even worse than last time.

But she couldn't stop. She kept running with Father through the burning village, keeping a close eye above. She gasped as a meteor struck the ground just a few feet away from her. Embers and dirt splashed all over her tunic, but fortunately she was unharmed. Father tugged on her arm to keep her steady. They rounded a corner, and the front gate was in sight.

At least, it would have been, if it weren't obscured by a hoard of Alliance soldiers pouring through.

Cathleen gaped at the sight of them. Dozens of soldiers armed with swords and spears marched into the village. It didn't make sense. The guards should have seen them coming long before they reached the gates. They should have had more time to prepare. What had happened? Were they…?

The soldiers spread out and broke into the surrounding homes. Screams rang out from inside. Trembling, Cathleen brandished her axe. She couldn't kill them all, but…

Father grabbed her hand and pulled her away. "Get back!"

Part of Cathleen wanted to refuse. She wanted to stand and fight to her last breath, but her survival instincts screamed at her to retreat. The latter won. She followed her father back towards the village center, with the Alliance army marching behind them.

Panting, Cathleen slowly processed their situation. Somehow, the Alliance had breached the front gate without warning. Their objective was clear, exterminate everyone in the village. They didn't have nearly enough strength to defeat them. Could they run away? Were they surrounded? Regardless, it seemed like their only option.

No, there was another way. There was one path to victory. If they wanted to survive, they had to do exactly what the Alliance feared.

"Chieftain!"

As they continued their retreat, they spotted Seth and Elara running in the opposite direction. They approached each other and stopped. "What's the situation?" Seth asked.

"They've breached the gate!" Father said. "Don't know how, but they're already inside!"

"Already?!" Seth exclaimed. "Then, we must…"

With a dark sigh, Father closed his eyes.

Seth breathed deeply. "We have no choice. Someone needs to sacrifice their soul."

Cathleen knew he was right. She hadn't been sure before, but the Alliance army had extinguished every spark of doubt. They had to do it, or they would all die. She stared at her father and pleaded. "Please, Father."

Frowning painfully, he shook his head. "We can't..."

Cathleen's heart sank like a rock. Even as his village was burning around him, Father _still_ refused to use it? How could he? He would let his people die? He would let _her_ die? No, Cathleen couldn't accept it. She tugged on her father's shoulders and begged. "Please! If we don't do it, it's all over! We'll _all_ die! Don't let that happen! You can't let that happen! Please, don't let us die!"

Father whimpered. "Cathleen..."

"... I don't want to die," she whispered.

As Father hesitated, the village trembled while the Alliance's magic continued to bombard it. He stared at her with a miserable grimace. "That's not fair."

"How?!" Cathleen shouted. "Without that power, you're condemning us _all_ to death! We have to use it! We..." A tear trickled down her cheek. "Please..."

Part of Cathleen felt ashamed for resorting to emotional blackmail, but it was necessary. She had to make Father see reason, so what if she had to abuse him for it? Everyone's lives were at stake. They couldn't hold back. If Father wouldn't listen, she'd do it herself.

Mercifully, it didn't come to that. After another long pause, Father finally gave a solemn nod. "Okay... I'll do it. We just need to find a monster willing to -"

Elara gasped and pointed down the street. "They're coming!"

Cathleen turned her head and saw several villagers fleeing from the advancing army. An Alliance archer fired an arrow into a human villager's back, sending him sprawling on the ground. A Frogitt hoped away, but they were too slow to avoid the lance plunging into their head. A Temmie screamed as an Alliance mage set her ablaze with a fireball. Cathleen suppressed the urge to vomit. It was so much worse than last time.

With shivering hands, Elara raised her staff. "H-hey, I'll hold them off. You guys get going."

"Elara, no!" Seth yelled. "Run away! Please!"

There was no time to argue. The Alliance army was seconds away from trampling them. A vortex of black energy swirled above the tip of Elara's staff. Suddenly, dozens of dark spikes burst forward into the approaching army. The magic tore through their armor like paper, and the entire front row fell to the ground bleeding. This rattled the troops behind them and gave them pause, clearly stunned by the sudden resistance, but a handful of archers and mages returned fire.

Seth jumped in front of Elara and raised his shield, deflecting the Alliance's arrows and spells. "Go!" he yelled.

Cathleen grit her teeth. _What should I do? Fight with them, or help Father? He might not survive on his own, but if I hold my ground, I can buy more time…_

"Keep moving!" Father ordered. He continued heading for the village center. Cathleen looked back at Seth and Elara as they kept the Alliance pinned down. She felt like she was being forced to choose between them and her father. She didn't want to abandon either of them. What could she…?

She had to look at this objectively. What was more important? Guarding this one street, or ensuring that a monster obtained a human soul? The answer was clear. Sending Seth and Elara a silent prayer, Cathleen resumed following her father.

_I'm sorry, but we must save everyone we can._

Cathleen and Father got as much distance as they could, not stopping until they were in the middle of the village. Humans and monsters alike stood paralyzed with terror as the Alliance's meteors kept battering the area. The streets were littered with craters and debris, and buildings began to crumble in flames. Cathleen tried not to think about how many of her fellow villagers were dying inside, too afraid to leave their shelter even as it came crashing down around them. She had to focus.

Father's presence somewhat snapped the villagers out of their terror. They looked to him, desperate for guidance. He spread his arms and addressed his people. "Everyone! As you can see, the Alliance has come to destroy our village! They will show us no mercy! They won't stop until they exterminate every last person - human or monster - who lives within these walls! I had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but there is only one way we can possibly hope to fight back!" He bowed deeply. "To any monster who is willing, I offer you my soul! Take it, and use that power to save us all!"

Several moments passed, but no one spoke. Not a single monster stepped forward.

"… anyone?" Cathleen called. "Please! It's the only way to save everyone!"

Still no response. The monsters gave them nothing but blank stares. Cathleen didn't understand. Father was volunteering to sacrifice his life for the one thing they needed to survive, but they wouldn't reach out and take it. Why wouldn't they?! Did they _want_ to die?!

Cathleen swore as another meteor landed close by. They didn't have time for this. Cathleen scanned the crowd of monsters, and her gaze settled on a turtle monster named Garson. He was the village's blacksmith, and his brother served in King Asgore's Royal Guard. Perhaps he'd be willing? Cathleen approached him. "What about you, Garson? Will you take my father's soul and defend your village?"

Garson shook his head. "And become a horrible beast like Bora? No, I think not. I'll take death instead, thank you."

Cathleen gasped in shock. "You're serious? You'd rather die than take another's soul?"

"That's what I said, yes," Garson replied.

Cathleen's jaw dropped in exasperation. Unbelievable. The monsters were truly willing to die for such a foolish ideal? It was madness. No, there had to be _someone_. She turned her attention to the rest of the monsters. What about…? She looked at Builder Wolf the carpenter. He… he was strong. Maybe…? "Builder Wolf?"

"… no," Builder Wolf said.

 _Okay, umm… what about…?_ She faced her next candidate. "Madjick?"

"Please and _hell no!_ " Madjick said.

Cathleen gulped. "U-uh… Tsunderhorse?"

"No," Tsunderhorse said. "Just… no. For real."

"… Slimey the Slime?" Cathleen asked.

Slimey, an adorable ball of blue slime, backed away nervously. They extended a nub from their body and pointed it towards themselves. "Who, me? Umm, I'm really flattered, but I think I'll - "

A meteor crashed into Slimey and splattered them.

Cathleen whimpered, but she steeled herself and looked back at the crowd. "See that? If you do nothing, this will happen to all of us. Please, someone! _Anyone! Help us!_ "

Nobody answered.

Cathleen growled. Where the hell was Syleth? He should have been _all over_ this. He was the only monster in the village who had pushed for soul absorption, but as soon as they needed him, he had disappeared. _Where was he?_

She heard footsteps. She turned and saw the Alliance army closing in. Damn it, they were out of time. Seth and Elara's sacrifices had been for nothing.

Father clicked his tongue. "There's never any damn time."

 _No, I can't give up yet._ Cathleen looked at her father. "We need to find Syleth."

"Seems so," Father said. He pointed deeper into the village. "Let's hope he's back there; it's our only chance."

While they started moving, Garson faced the Alliance army and raised his hammer. "Come on! We don't need any freaking souls! Let's go!"

A handful of brave villagers rose up and clashed with the enemy. Cathleen knew they didn't stand a chance. Like Seth and Elara, they would slow the enemy down, but at this point, how much left was there to save?

She couldn't think about it. Her legs felt like they were going to collapse from the constant running, but she didn't stop. She and Father slipped into an alleyway and headed for the North District, where Syleth lived. She hoped he was there. If not, they were already dead.

Cathleen and Father stopped. Two Alliance soldiers blocked their path, and three more approached from behind. Cathleen brandished her axe. "About time."

While Father stepped towards the three enemies from behind, Cathleen charged to fight the two in front. One was armed with a spear, the other with a sword and shield. Cathleen swung her axe at the neck of the spear user, but he deflected it with the shaft of his lance. Meanwhile, the swordsman stepped in and lunged at her, aiming for the side of her ribcage. She jumped back and narrowly avoided the blade. She sidestepped another thrust from the spearman and swung the blade of her axe deep into his forehead.

The spearman's body immediately went limp. Blood poured out of the wound as Cathleen pried her axe out, and his body fell backwards to the ground. Cathleen turned just in time to dodge a downward swing from the swordsman, but he followed up with a shield bash to her jaw. Cathleen recoiled, dazed from the impact, but she managed to swing her axe. The swordsman blocked it with his shield, and he thrust his sword into Cathleen's gut.

Cathleen hissed with pain. So, this was how it felt to get stabbed. It hurt, but her fight-or-flight instinct helped her ignore it. She raised her axe and tried to bring it down into her enemy's sword arm. He pulled back before the swing connected. Cathleen clutched her wound as the sword left her body. She wouldn't survive without treatment; she wished Elara or Everette were around.

She stepped back to avoid another swing. Panting, she held up her axe, but with her wound, she wasn't sure if…

Suddenly, an arrow shot out of the Alliance soldier's neck. He fell forward and collapsed on the ground, and Cathleen saw Dacuel standing behind him. She grinned; she had never been so happy to see him.

Dacuel nocked another arrow and took aim at something behind her. Right, Father! Cathleen darted her head back. One solider was a bloody corpse on the ground, but the other two were still standing. Both were armed with swords and shields. Father had bloody cuts all over his body, but he swung his axe. One of the soldiers parried the strike with his shield, and the other ran his sword through Father's chest.

Cathleen froze.

_Father…? No, you can't…_

Dacuel loosed his arrow, and it flew into the neck of her father's killer. The final solider turned and charged at Dacuel. Somehow, Cathleen calmed her nerves enough to block the soldier's path, but he knocked her down with a swipe of his shield. Cathleen landed hard on her ass while the solider advanced. Dacuel fired another arrow, but the enemy blocked it. As Dacuel reached for another arrow, the solider swung his sword and sliced Dacuel's arm off.

Cathleen clenched her teeth and got back to her feet. She ran as fast as she could. As Dacuel cried out, the enemy solider thrust his sword into Dacuel's chest.

_NO!_

Cathleen gripped her axe with both hands and chopped the soldier's head off his shoulders, but it was too late. His headless body still had his sword through Dacuel's chest. Cathleen wrapped her arm around Dacuel's back and pulled the blade out. He winced as she did, bleeding heavily from both his severed arm and his punctured chest. Cathleen gently set him down against the wall and looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Dacuel coughed up blood. "Heh, d-don't worry about it, Cath. Y-you should get g-going while you c-can."

Cathleen looked at her father and ran to him. A pool of blood grew as his body lied on the ground. She lifted his head and looked into his lifeless green eyes. He was gone.

She sobbed; tears rained down on her father's corpse. It had happened so fast, but she knew it was real. She wished she had been strong enough to protect him. She held him tightly for a moment, but she quickly let go. There was no time to mourn. More soldiers could show up at any moment. She had to go.

As Cathleen stood back up, Dacuel called out to her. "H-hey, Cath. If you're looking for Syleth, I saw Everette carrying him."

Cathleen gasped. She ran to Dacuel and knelt towards him. "You did? Where are they?"

"Th-they went north," Dacuel said. "Probably t-to Ev's place. Th-think Syleth was unconscious."

Syleth was unconscious? That explained a lot. Cathleen hoped he wasn't dead. They needed him. She looked at Dacuel. "Thank you, I'll…" She frowned. Was Dacuel really beyond saving? She examined his wound; it had just missed his heart. Still, between that _and_ his lost arm, he was losing a lot of blood, but maybe with healing magic…

Dacuel shook his head. "Just go, Cath. I'm done."

Cathleen whimpered. Even if that were true, she didn't want to leave him like this, not in so much pain.

Dacuel smiled. "Hey, I know I liked to joke around a lot, but I hope you know I never meant anything by it. I think y-you would have been a great leader, C-Cath. One your father would have been p-proud of."

More tears fell from Cathleen's eyes. "I k-know, Dacuel."

"You gotta go," Dacuel said. "A-and if you can, please, save Everette, or at the very least… make sure he doesn't suffer. P-please, I'm counting on…"

Dacuel's eyes ceased moving, and his shoulders slumped lifelessly. Cathleen sniffled. In those last moments, she felt like she had seen the real Dacuel for the first time. Wiping her eyes, she stood and faced her path forward. _No time to mourn._

Alone, she kept moving. She clutched her bleeding wound as she limped ahead. Screams continued to ring out in the distance, and smoke from the fires grew denser. Cathleen navigated the alleyways, leaving behind a trail of blood. Everette's house wasn't much farther. She felt like she wanted to take a nap, but she couldn't stop. _Keep moving, Cathleen. You're almost there._

About a minute later, she reached Everette's house, fortunately without running into more soldiers. Unfortunately, the house was a pile of burning wood. Hopefully they hadn't been inside. Maybe they were nearby? Cathleen limped around the burning home and searched behind it.

She found them. Everette sat with Syleth behind his house. There was a jar of herbs next to him, probably used to treat Syleth's injuries. Syleth was awake, giving Everette an expectant look. In Everette's hand was… a knife, pointed towards his heart.

' _A-and if you can, please, save Everette.'_

Cathleen couldn't let that happen. Now that her father was gone, it was her duty to save the village. It had to be her. "Everette!" She ran to him and grabbed the knife in his hand.

Everette jumped in shock. "C-Cathleen?"

" _What are you doing?!_ " Syleth screamed.

"Don't do it!" Cathleen yelled. "Syleth, take _my_ soul! I'll -"

A bright flash of light suddenly blinded Cathleen. As she covered her eyes, she heard Syleth scream. Lightning? Once her vision recovered, she saw Syleth convulse with magical electricity. A moment later, his body dissolved into dust, and his gray soul floated above the pile.

Cathleen's heart pounded.

What had she done?

With wide eyes, Everette reached into the pile of dust that was once Syleth. The dust fell through his fingers. He sobbed. "S-Syleth…"

Cathleen cursed herself. This was her fault. If she hadn't done anything, if she had let Syleth take Everette's soul, they could have saved everyone. She should have just stayed out of the way, but she had interfered and ruined everything.

Everette looked at Syleth's soul. He reached out to grab it, but another bolt of lightning shattered it to pieces. With flame burning in her crimson eyes, Cathleen turned to face the Alliance mage who had destroyed it. He was clad in a black hooded robe and carried a magic staff. She sprinted for him, axe held high. The mage pointed his staff at her, but she closed the distance before he could finish casting. Cathleen sliced his staff in half and tore through the solider's abdomen.

The mage whimpered in pain and staggered; Cathleen tackled him to the ground and slammed her axe into his chest. A beautiful scream rang out from his lips. Cathleen pulled her axe back up and rapidly hacked away, splattering the murderer's blood all over her body. He deserved it. He had just condemned an entire village of innocent people to death. If there was such a thing as hell, Cathleen hoped he burned in it for eternity.

The mage gave a final dying gurgle, and then his yellow soul came out of his body. Cathleen chopped it with her axe, and it shattered. A soul for a soul.

More soldiers came from both directions. Cathleen stood and faced them, drenched in the blood of the mage she had slain. There was over a dozen of them, but despite outnumbering her, Cathleen saw them quiver in their boots. Ha, as if those murderers had the right to fear death. Cathleen grinned and held up her bloodstained axe. _Come on, I'm ready._

Behind her, Everette stabbed himself in the heart and laid down, bleeding out in Syleth's dust. Probably the smart way to go; he wouldn't turn to EXP for some Alliance dog. Still, Cathleen couldn't bring herself to do that. Even if it was futile, she had to go down fighting.

The enemy came at her with a line of spears. Cathleen would be skewered before she was within striking distance, so she didn't wait. She threw her axe at the solider in front of her. The blade lodged into his face, and he went down. Cathleen laughed. One more down. How many was that? Four? Four-to-one, not bad.

The Alliance's spears perforated Cathleen's body. Blood spurt out of her mouth. To think she had actually doubted allowing monsters to take human souls. She shouldn't have hesitated. She should have given Syleth her soul when she'd had the chance, but she had been too foolish. She had been a coward.

She had made the wrong decision.

Kill them. Kill them all.

Kill every last one of them.

Cathleen looked down at Everette's dead body, covered in Syleth's dust. She wanted everyone responsible dead, but… even more so, she wished she could bring them back. _Why? Why do they have to die? It's not fair._

_Don't let them._

_Don't let them die!_

_Please…_

_Don't…_

Cathleen died.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	2. You Know Her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story totally doesn't have tone issues.

" _To the Class of 2131!"_

A lively chorus of voices rang out in the dining room of Toriel's house, accompanied by the clinking of glasses. Frisk brought his glass to his lips and let the wine pass through. As he savored its sweet taste, he saw Chara eyeing him with a playfully accusing stare while she sipped her hot chocolate. He swallowed his wine and smiled. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," Chara said. "I'm just enjoying my perfectly healthy hot chocolate with all my brain cells intact. How about you?"

"Oh, just reducing my risk of heart disease," Frisk replied.

Chara nodded. "Mhm, I hear exercise is good for that."

"Sure is," Frisk said. "Every bit counts."

Smirking, Chara caressed his chest. "Just don't drink too much. I want you fully operational for the afterparty…"

Frisk grinned. "Hey, don't talk to me like I'm some kind of machine. I will not be objectified!"

Chara pouted. "Aww, you're not interested?"

"I didn't say _that_ ," Frisk interjected. "I'm _very_ interested, but you have to say the magic word."

Chara rolled her eyes and gave a good-humored sigh. " _Please_ don't drink too much?"

Frisk smiled and kissed her cheek. "Anything for you."

Chara blushed and smiled back. "Much obliged."

Frisk wrapped his free arm around her back. "I'll oblige you…" He leaned in and locked lips with her, and they quickly melted into a kiss. The warm sensation made him feel much more intoxicated that his wine ever could. They were able to make out for a few moments before Asriel cleared his throat.

"Umm, a little decorum please?" Asriel asked. "People watching?"

There was an audible pop as Chara parted her mouth from Frisk. "I don't care," she panted.

Frisk giggled. He looked around the room. Despite what Asriel had said, everyone was too busy with their own conversations to worry about their usual antics. Toriel was giving cooking advice to Papyrus while Sans 'helped.' Felicia and Elodie were watching Undyne and Mettaton EX arm wrestle. Atami, Alphys, and Napstablook were tucked away in the back corner of the living room. The only one who wasn't occupied was Asgore, who approached Frisk and the others with a smile.

"I can hardly believe it," Asgore said. "The three of you have all graduated from university. Feels like you only began just yesterday."

Chara smiled. "You can hardly believe it? Why? Do you question our abilities?"

Asgore patted Chara on the head. "Ah, you know what I mean. It is the passage of time that surprises me, not your intelligence or hard work. I expected nothing less from you."

Chara frowned playfully. "So I failed to exceed your expectations?"

He chuckled. "I suppose so, but that is only because they were so high in the first place."

"Gee, no pressure or anything," Asriel said.

Asgore nervously furrowed his brow. "W-well, I do not mean to say that I _demanded_ your success. I would not have been disappointed if you had - well, I'm glad you didn't _fail_ , but what I'm trying to say is that, umm…"

Frisk laughed. "It's okay, Asgore. They're just giving you a hard time."

"O-oh, of course!" Asgore said. "Yes, jokes! Very amusing! Haha…" He took a deep breath. "So, Frisk, are you ready to become an official ambassador?"

Frisk smiled boldly. "When I'm done, we won't need a Monster Embassy anymore."

Chara smirked. "So confident! If anyone can make that happen, it's you, Frisk."

It warmed Frisk's heart to hear that. He felt his face redden. "Thanks, Chara."

She kissed his cheek. "Of course, I know you'll do great."

"What about you, Chara?" Asgore asked. "Are you prepared to start your career? You said you already have a job lined up with Alphys's company, did you not?"

"Nepotism!" Asriel exclaimed.

Chara narrowed her eyes at him. "You take that back."

"You can't silence the truth!" Asriel retorted.

Chara sighed and returned her attention to Asgore. "Yes, I am still scheduled to work for AlTech as a lab assistant. Alphys may have provided a _little_ support in securing an interview, but I assure you that I ultimately earned the position through my own merit."

"I mean, 'lab assistant' doesn't sound that glamorous," Asriel said.

Chara gaped at him as if he had claimed that the sky was green. "Do you jest, Brother? AlTech is the leading developer of magic-based technology in the world. The title of 'Lab Assistant' may strike you as paltry, but it is truly an incredible honor that can only lead to even greater advancement. I expect you to show some respect."

"I respect it!" Frisk said. "I'm so proud of my science girlfriend!"

Chara smiled. "Thank you, my love. See, Asriel? Frisk has the right idea."

Asriel laughed. "Okay, I'll respect it!"

A thought popped inside Frisk's head, and he stared at Chara with a mischievous smirk. She stared back and mirrored his expression. "What's on your mind, Frisk?"

"I was just thinking," Frisk said, "I bet you'll look _hot_ in a lab coat."

Chara chuckled. "That's… an interesting thing to be turned on by."

"Nonsense," Frisk said. "Imagine it. You in that white coat, looking all smart and professional. I'm swooning already!"

She grinned. "If that's how you feel, I'll be sure to get one soon."

Frisk winked. "I can hardly wait." He wasn't kidding. Chara was going to look _awesome_ in it.

Asriel sighed. "Can you two stop for, like, five minutes? Dad's _right here_."

"Oh, uh, it's fine," Asgore said. "I've already made it clear that I approve of their relationship. Frisk is a fine match for my daughter, even if he can be a bit… brazen at times."

"He's not the only one," Asriel said, casting a glance at Chara.

Asgore shifted his eyes uncomfortably. "Yes, well, I suppose they are both rather spirited. Anyway, let's not forget about you, Asriel. Have your plans remained unchanged?"

Asriel nodded. "Yeah, still going to grad school."

"So you still want to be a teacher?" Asgore asked. "Just like your mother! An admirable profession!"

Asriel groaned. "Dad, I _told you_. I want to be a _professor._ "

"Ah, yes," Asgore said. "A professor is a type of teacher, is it not?"

"Well, yeah," Asriel said, "but please say 'professor.' It's way cooler!"

"If you say so," Asgore replied. "And you're majoring in Astrology?"

Asriel's face grew so red that Frisk feared it might explode. " _Astronomy!_ "

"Oh, right," Asgore said. "… what's the difference, again?"

Asriel slapped his forehead. "Ugh, Astrology isn't even science. It's -"

_Crash!_

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted as something slammed hard in the kitchen. Frisk swiveled his head and saw Undyne standing triumphantly over Mettaton as he lied in a crater of shattered planks. The weight of his metal body had severely torn up the flooring beneath him, and a large chunk of the kitchen table had snapped off. Everyone gasped while Undyne hollered proudly. "See that?! Fish beats robot! I knew it!"

"G-goodness," Mettaton muttered. "I see why you're the Captain."

Once Toriel recovered from the shock of the impact, she glared at Undyne with a deathly stare. "Undyne! Be more careful! If you burn this house down, there will be hell to pay!"

Undyne spread her arms and laughed. "Aww, come on, Toriel. Everyone knows it's not a real party until _something_ burns down."

Toriel shook her finger at her. "Do not _dare_ consider it! I want this house in _perfect_ condition when you leave! Is that clear?"

Chara glanced at the shattered floor. "That may be difficult at this juncture."

Undyne cocked her head and approached Toriel with a challenging stare. "I don't take orders from you, ex-Queen."

_Oh, no._ Frisk needed to stop this before it got out of hand. He made his way to them and spoke with a calming voice. "Hey, let's all just -"

"You _will_ here!" Toriel snapped. "As long as you are under my roof, you will obey _my_ rules! If that is a problem, kindly see yourself out!"

"Th-that won't be necessary," Frisk tried to interject. "I'm sure Undyne didn't mean -"

"Yeah?!" Undyne yelled. "You want me to leave? That's the classic Toriel strategy, isn't it? When things aren't going your way, just run away and never come back! Works every time!"

As Toriel furiously clenched her teeth, Frisk gaped in shock. Undyne and Toriel had never gotten along, but that crossed the line. At the risk of having his face punched in, Frisk stepped in between them and gently pushed Undyne back. "O-okay, I think Undyne may have had a little too much to drink. Why don't you…?"

"I'm _fine!_ " Undyne shouted. "You think I'm such a - _hic!_ \- lightweight that I can't handle a measly eight shots? C-come on! I'm tougher than that!" She stumbled. "Y-yeah! Only problem is Queen Killjoy over here!"

"Killjoy?" Papyrus asked. "Toriel doesn't kill joy! She just beats it up until it does what she says! She's so merciful!"

Frisk knew that Papyrus wasn't being sarcastic, but anyone who didn't know him would probably think otherwise. While Toriel fumed and continued to glare at Undyne, Mettaton awkwardly got up from the floor. "Oh, dear. I assure you that it was not my intention to cause drama. I'm sorry for any inconvenience I may have -"

"You stay out of this!" Toriel spat.

Mettaton pursed his lips and wisely shut up. Meanwhile, Chara looked at Undyne. "Umm, I don't believe that a little caution is too much to ask. If it's all the same to you, I would prefer that you do _not_ destroy my home. After all, you do not have the greatest track record with household maintenance."

Undyne's expression suddenly became more solemn. "Oh, yeah. I guess we don't want another… incident."

The memory of a burning aquatic-themed home flashed inside Frisk's mind.

" _Only fire lives here now," Chara had said._

Undyne sighed. "Fine, I'll… be more careful."

Toriel nodded. "Wise decision. I wish you had always acted with such restraint."

Frisk swore silently. _Damn it!_

Undyne clenched her fists. "What's that supposed to mean? If you have a problem with me, why don't you just say…!"

Alphys came out of her corner and tugged on Undyne's arm. "H-hey! Let's not make a scene! We're supposed to being having fun here!"

Undyne ignored her and stepped forward. "H-hey, Toriel!" she slurred. "Speaking of 'wise decisions,' remember that time when you _fired_ my girl, even though she did _nothing wrong?!_ Yeah, you really showed her, huh? No more Royal Scientist gig for her! Totally destroyed her career! Oh, wait. She's got her own company now! _She's CEO, bitch! Suck on that!_ "

"Nothing wrong?!" Toriel yelled. "She experimented on living people and lied about it! The termination of her employment was a merciful punishment for that!"

"They were going to _die!_ " Undyne fired back. "Alphys saved their lives! So what if they melted into weird amalgamation things? You should be thanking her!"

"Thank her?" Toriel asked. "For interfering with the natural order of life and death? Those people deserved to rest peacefully, but now who knows if they will ever -"

" _Enough!_ "

Everyone turned their heads, and Frisk laid eyes on someone he had never seen before. She was a beautiful young woman who looked like she was in her early twenties, about the same age as himself. She had light brown hair flowing just below her shoulders and red eyes with the same shade as Chara's, and she wore a red dress shirt with black pants. Frisk felt a commanding presence as he beheld her determined expression, emanating an aura of someone to be respected, and the confident tone in her voice was just as authoritative. Even though Frisk didn't know her, he felt compelled to give her his full attention.

"Cathleen?" Chara whispered.

"You're both bickering like spoiled children!" the stranger - Cathleen - said. "Can you not talk this out like the adults you are?"

Toriel shot Cathleen an indignant look. "Who the hell are you?!"

"Yeah, that!" Undyne said.

Frisk leaned close to Chara and whispered. "You know her?"

Chara nodded. "She went to my school. I'll explain later."

Cathleen fixed her gaze on Undyne. "Is your conduct not unbecoming of the Royal Guard Captain? As a guest in your former queen's home, you must show her the proper respect."

Undyne clicked her tongue. "Don't act like she -"

Cathleen turned to Toriel. "And is this the kind of example you wish to set for your children? The Captain had sworn to correct her behavior, but you continue to attack her character, most likely due to her service under King Asgore. Am I wrong?"

Toriel folded her arms. "He was a fool, and Undyne was his most zealous supporter."

Asgore solemnly bowed his head.

"That is in the past now," Cathleen said. "Humans and monsters are at peace. I will not ask you to forgive or forget, but you must be mindful that the times have changed. Undyne is no longer an enemy of humanity. Even if you cannot be friends, there is no need to antagonize her."

Toriel paused. "I see your point, but I cannot act as if it never happened. They may be friends now, but she still tried to murder Frisk and give his soul to Asgore. There must be consequences."

"Perhaps," Cathleen said, "but there's a fine line between justice and vindictiveness."

Toriel sighed. "Okay, you have made your case. Undyne, I apologize for my rudeness. I will try to be more cordial in the future."

Undyne smiled. "Ah, it's alright. I think we - _hic!_ \- both said some stuff we didn't mean." She wobbled and held her head. "Aww, man, maybe I _did_ drink a bit much."

Alphys pat her on the back. "Y-yeah, you should lie down on the couch for a while."

Undyne snickered. "Only if you come with me…"

Alphys blushed. "U-uh, okay. If that makes you more comfortable."

"Always," Undyne said. She took Alphys's arm and they went off to snuggle in the living room couch. As they did, Frisk looked at the newcomer with awe. She had never even met Undyne or Toriel, but she'd defused the situation like an expert. Who was she?

Before Frisk could act, Papyrus bolted towards Cathleen and greeted her with a booming voice. "Wowie! You ended the angriness! Thanks, new person!"

"It was nothing," Cathleen said.

Papyrus's jawbone dropped. "That was easy for you?! Nyeh heh heh! Looks like Frisk might have some competition! Are you gonna be an ambassador, too?"

Frisk felt as if Papyrus had jabbed him in the gut. Cathleen _had_ shown him up, hadn't she? Frisk should have been able to handle it on his own, but who knew how far that fight would have gone if Cathleen hadn't stopped it? He needed to step it up.

Cathleen shook her head. "I'm afraid I have other plans, but I'm flattered that you would -"

"Cathleen!" Elodie ran to her with sparkling green eyes. "You came! How are you?"

"Greetings, Elodie," Cathleen replied. "I am well. Yourself?"

"Good, good," Elodie said. "I'm glad to see you!"

Felicia eyed Elodie with a nervous stare. "Uh, who is this?"

"Oh, right!" Elodie said. "You never met! Felicia, this is Cathleen. She's one of my friends from Alpin University. She's really cool and strong and kind and I'm sure you'd like her!"

Felicia cringed. "I s-see."

Frisk smiled as he glanced at Chara. "You agree with her?"

"It's an accurate assessment," Chara said. "Cathleen was very popular among the students. She's a fierce combatant on the training floor, a brilliant mind in the classroom, highly charismatic, and she's quite attractive as well. Everyone considered themselves lucky to get close to her."

"Really?" Frisk asked. "She's perfect? No weaknesses?"

"There is one thing," Chara whispered. "She has a very poor tolerance for failure. I defeated her in a sparring match once. She tried to laugh it off, but I could tell she was upset. She _hates_ losing. Well, most people do, but Cathleen is the kind of person who can't forgive herself for a mistake."

Frisk smirked. "She sounds like my kind of woman. I should go introduce myself already."

Chara sighed. "Here it comes…"

With a wide grin, Frisk approached Cathleen and waved. "Hey there, gorgeous. The Angel must have blessed me to send help in such a beautiful package. Will you grant me the honor of knowing your name?" He already knew it, of course, but it was polite to ask.

She turned to face him. "Greetings. My name is Cathleen. Your reputation precedes you, Frisk. Tales of your philandering have not been exaggerated."

_Oof! She's savage._ Frisk chuckled. "You talk like my girlfriend. Are you friends?"

"We're acquainted, yes," Cathleen said. "I must ask, how does she feel about you flirting with other people, and in her very presence at that?" She looked in Chara's direction, and she walked up to join them.

"I've learned to live with it," Chara answered. "He doesn't mean anything by it, don't worry."

Cathleen smirked. "Oh? Are you sure? Perhaps I wouldn't mind if he meant something by it…"

"Oh, thank God," Felicia muttered.

As Chara pursed her lips, Frisk winked. "I like where this is going. Can I get you a drink?"

"I wouldn't say 'no' to a beer," Cathleen replied.

Frisk smiled. "No problem. I'll go get one for you."

"You have my thanks," Cathleen said.

There was no shortage of beer in the refrigerator. Frisk went to retrieve one. Meanwhile, Chara looked at Cathleen with a strange smile. "Cathleen, you are not lacking in popularity. Would it be rude of me to inquire if anyone has smitten your heart? I ask solely out of curiosity."

"Truthfully," Cathleen said, "I'm not looking for that sort of relationship at this time. It's not that I don't want to, but I cannot afford the distraction right now."

"Oh, I see," Chara said. "Then let us keep it that way tonight, shall we?"

Cathleen laughed. "Someone sounds nervous. Fear not, it was only a jest. I have no intention of stealing your precious Frisk; I assure you."

"But you're really too busy to date anyone?" Elodie asked. "You must have some crazy ambitions. What are your plans, if you don't mind me asking?"

Cathleen frowned. "Sorry, I am not at liberty to discuss. The matter is highly sensitive."

Elodie's eyes widened. "Whoa, are you already under some kind of NDA? Knowing you, I'm sure you had no trouble finding a job."

"Something like that," Cathleen said.

Frisk returned with a bottle of beer and handed it to Cathleen with a smile. "Here you go."

Cathleen took it. "Thank you." She took a deep swig. "Ah, that's good."

"Wait," Frisk said, "you _are_ the legal age, right?"

"Pretty sure," Elodie said. "I mean, she graduated with us, so I'm sure she is."

"Of course," Cathleen said. "My father would have killed me if he caught me drinking underage." She sighed wistfully. "I always wished I could share a drink with him."

Frisk raised an eyebrow. "Wait, is he…?"

Cathleen nodded. "Apologies, I didn't mean to sour the mood, but yes, my father passed away some time ago."

Frisk frowned. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, I didn't know that," Elodie said. "I know what that's like. It must have been awful."

Cathleen took another sip of her beer. "Don't worry about it," she said. "I didn't mean to give you my sob story, really. I'm fine."

"If you say so," Frisk said.

Cathleen smiled. "I'm just happy to have finally met the Hero of Monsters. I really admire what you did, ending millennia of suffering underground. I hope the bastards who put them there are rolling in their graves."

Chara gave a respectful huff. "Maybe you're not so bad, after all."

Frisk smiled back. "Don't make me blush. I'll tell you the same thing I tell everyone; I didn't do it alone."

"And so humble, at that," Cathleen said. "By the way, may I ask you a personal question?"

_A personal question?_ Frisk was a bit surprised by the sudden request, but he nodded. "Sure."

"What was it like," Cathleen said, "when you died?"

Frisk felt a chill run down his spine. _Whoa, she wasn't kidding._ He needed a few seconds to process what she had asked him. Technically, Frisk had suffered many deaths, but he knew which one she was referring to. What else could she mean but _that_ death? The one where Elizabeth slit his throat and turned him into a demon? That was the closest he had ever come to a true death.

Chara frowned and held his shoulder. "Hey, you don't have to answer that."

Frisk shook his head. "No, it's alright. I'll tell her." He took a deep breath. How to describe it? "Well, it was terrifying. I… blood was pouring out of my throat. I couldn't stop it, and I felt my life slip away with every drop I lost. I wasn't ready to go, and… I think the worst part was how powerless I was to stop it. I knew I was dying, and there was nothing I could do to save myself. No way to keep myself bound to this world, with the people I love. I had no idea if I would ever see them again, and… it terrified me."

Frisk trembled. Maybe he should have taken Chara's advice. This wasn't an experience he wished to dwell on.

Cathleen nodded. "Believe me, I can imagine, but I'm more interested in how you came back. Tell me, what was it like to resurrect from the dead?"

Frisk paused. That was an even more difficult question, because… "It was confusing," he said. "When I came back, I… I wasn't really myself. My soul was gone. My love for everyone, my compassion, it was just gone. I still had some sort of feeling, but I didn't understand it. I still don't understand it. Part of me was still there, but I was incomplete, a fragment of my former self. Honesty, I think death is a better alternative to that."

"I see," Cathleen said, "but when you acquired your replacement soul, that restored you, did it not?"

Frisk nodded. "It did."

"And how did you feel then?" Cathleen asked.

"Relieved," Frisk answered. "Like waking up from a bad dream."

"So you were happy?" Cathleen asked. "Coming back to life ultimately made you happy?"

"Very much," Frisk said. "I really wasn't ready to die. I'm so glad I was able to survive."

Cathleen hummed, and she turned her gaze to Chara. "What about you? Are you happy that Frisk was able to come back?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Chara asked. "Of course I was happy. I was _overjoyed_. When I thought he was gone, I was _devastated_. There was so much more I wanted to do with him. I w-wasn't ready to lose him. I wasn't ready to say g-goodbye. I…" She sniffled. "If it had been necessary, I could have moved on, but I'm glad I didn't have to."

"So," Cathleen said, "you would agree that it was better for Frisk to be resurrected, than not to be resurrected?"

Chara nodded. "Yes, absolutely."

Cathleen smiled. "I see. Thank you for indulging my curiosity. I will remember your answer."

Frisk cocked his head. That was… kind of weird. He wasn't sure what to make of Cathleen's behavior. Of course it was better that he was resurrected. Who would question that? He didn't have a death wish. He wanted to _live_. That was common sense. His life was just getting started, and he was so grateful that it hadn't ended in that courtroom. That should have been obvious, so why ask?

"I mean," Elodie said, "aren't _you_ happy that Frisk came back?"

"Oh, yes," Cathleen said. "Frisk is a treasure. Losing him would have been a devastating blow to the world. I'm glad we were able to avoid that unfortunate consequence."

_Consequence?_ Frisk thought. _That's an odd way of putting it. Consequence of what? Resisting Elizabeth? Or... does she mean my death itself? Death is supposed to be final, but I came back anyway. So did Chara, and Asriel, too. Is Cathleen accusing us of playing God? What is she trying to say?_

"… yeah," Chara said.

Felicia looked at Cathleen intensely. "Do you wish you could bring your father back?"

A faint chuckled escape Cathleen's lips. "Naturally. Given the power, who wouldn't revive everyone they cared about? I won't deny that I'm envious."

_Is that it, then?_ Frisk wondered. _She's jealous that we were able to resurrect? If that's the case, she wouldn't be the first. Elodie had hated us for the same reason. Hmm..._

"It's not as if we can save whoever we please," Chara said. "Frisk and I may be demons, but we are not gods."

"Not as you are," Cathleen said, "but you could be."

For some reason, Frisk felt a pit in his stomach when she said that.

"We could," Chara said, "but that doesn't mean we should."

"True," Cathleen said. "That level of power must only be wielded by those pure of heart. You are wise not to trust yourself."

Chara gasped as if Cathleen had sucker punched her. She angrily clenched her teeth and raised her fist in protest, but after pausing for a few moments, she slumped her head in defeat. "No, I am not worthy."

Frisk shook his head. "I don't think _anyone's_ worthy."

Felicia scoffed. "Forget worthiness. I don't care if it's the best person who's ever lived. No one should have absolute power. _No one._ "

"And why is that?" Cathleen asked. "You may fear its temptations, but is it not unfair to disregard how much good it could do?"

"Like bringing your father back?" Chara asked.

Cathleen nodded. "Yes, and so much more."

Frisk's feelings of dread grew worse. What Cathleen was saying reminded him of…

Felicia clenched her fists. "You sound like Monty."

Yes, that was it. Cathleen sounded way too much like him; it was unsettling.

Cathleen chuckled. "Perhaps I do."

"And you're okay with that?!" Felicia yelled.

"His methods may have been cruel," Cathleen said, "but I agree with his goals. In my eyes, finding a demon worthy of Ascension is a noble pursuit."

_If Gaster heard you say that, he'd kill you,_ Frisk thought darkly.

"… say you had that power," Chara said. "What would you do with it?"

Cathleen smiled. "Aside from what you already know, there is only one change I would make, one fundamental flaw of this world that I wish to correct. After that, I would destroy that power and ensure that it may never be used again."

_Just one thing?_ Frisk thought. _That doesn't sound so bad, but…_

"A flaw?" Elodie asked. "What flaw?"

She laughed. "I'll save that for another time."

Chara clicked her tongue. "How theatrical."

"Don't jerk us around!" Felicia snapped. "What would you do?!"

"You will know soon," Cathleen said.

The way Cathleen said that made Frisk shiver. He stared into her red eyes. What if…? Was _that_ possible? A red soul didn't prove anything, but it _did_ open the possibility. If Cathleen was a demon, she may have been a very real threat.

_Hold on…_ Frisk's garnet eyes lit up as he cast Check. It didn't identify the target's race, but...

" **Cathleen Remire" - LV 3**

**HP:** 28/28

**EXP:** 40

**ATK:** 14 (0)

**DEF:** 10 (0)

**WEAPON:** NONE

**ARMOR:** NONE

_LV 3? She has EXP…_

Of course, Frisk couldn't condemn her solely for that. _He_ had EXP, after all, but who had she killed? And why? Could it have carried over from a previous life?

Cathleen sipped her beer. "I wish I could stay longer, but I'm afraid there's some personal business that requires my attention. It was nice talking with you all."

"It was an experience," Chara said.

Cathleen turned to leave. "Thanks for the drink." She walked to the front door and headed outside. She was gone.

"Well, she seemed nice at first," Felicia said, "but then she started acting crazy."

"She's insane," Chara said, "and the worst part is, I fear she may be a demon."

Frisk nodded. "Yeah, I thought the same thing."

Elodie gasped. "Really? I knew she was strong, but I didn't think -"

"I always had a feeling," Chara said. "Call me arrogant, but she developed her magic much too quickly for an ordinary human."

"And she has EXP," Frisk said.

"Yes, we know," Chara replied. "No one can say for certain, but rumors claim she defended herself from a clan of grinders, sick creatures who want to raise their LOVE as high as possible. I find that dubious, but who knows? I wasn't watching."

Elodie frowned. "Does she really seem so bad to you? She said she'd get rid of her demon powers when she's done, so maybe she's not _that_ crazy."

"I would need to know what that 'fundamental flaw' is," Chara said. "As she refuses to elaborate on its nature, I imagine that her desired change would have drastic consequences. We cannot trust her."

Elodie nodded sadly. "I get what you mean, but I can't blame her for wanting to save her father."

Chara hummed. "I can sympathize, but it does not grant her free reign to act as she pleases."

Frisk gave them all a solemn look. "If she is a demon, that means she died, too."

"Of course," Chara said. "Demons are created through pain and determination. Assuming our suspicions are correct, I have no doubt that Cathleen suffered greatly, and that is exactly why we must be on guard. Suffering breeds hatred, after all."

"But she seems smart, though," Elodie said. "Like that thing she said about justice and vi… vividness? That doesn't -"

Chara sighed. "Vindictiveness."

"Right, that," Elodie said. "That didn't sound like someone who wants revenge. I think we should give her a chance. She could still be a great person."

Felicia scowled at her. "She wants what Monty wanted; that's all I need to know."

Elodie looked away nervously. "Oh…"

"Man," Sans said, "don't you hate it when people come to a party and bring up politics? So annoying."

Frisk turned to him, hardly even surprised by his sudden entrance. "Were you listening? What do you think?"

Sans shrugged. "What are you asking me for? I don't know. It's not like I can tell what someone's thinking just by reading their expression."

"… right," Chara said, "but surely you have some impression of her?"

"She's not messing around," Sans said. "That's about all I know. Is she good? Bad? I really can't say."

"Come on, you've gotta have more than that," Felicia said.

Sans breathed deeply. "Well, there is one more thing I can tell you." His eyes dimmed. "She has the look of someone who's died once."

Frisk's heart skipped a beat. "So she is a demon."

"Could be," Sans said. "If she is, that could be really bad, or it could also be really good. More fuel for the machine."

Elodie pursed her lips. "That's not a very nice way of putting it."

"What?" Sans asked. "WISH doesn't grow on trees. Gotta get it somewhere."

"I would rather not have to," Frisk said.

Sans looked at him. "Okay, what do you think, Frisk? Is Cathleen good or bad?"

Frisk froze. "I… don't know."

"Yeah," Sans said. "Too soon to tell, huh? Guess we'll just have to wait and see."

No, Frisk didn't know what to think. He could tell from Cathleen's demeanor that she had great ambition and the will to carry it out, but she didn't strike him as malicious. She wasn't like Cade; she didn't seem like someone who would revel in having power over others. However, as that classic saying went, the road to hell was paved with good intentions. Just because she meant well didn't mean she wasn't a problem. For now, Frisk needed more information to decide how he felt about her. Was Cathleen a friend? A foe? Or something in between?

Only time would tell.

* * *

" **I'm CEO, bitch."**

**\- Alphys, probably**


	3. Two Betrayals

" **We will eradicate the enemy and become strong."**

**\- Chara**

* * *

It had been four years since Chara had suffered a sleepless night, but here she was, breaking that streak. She lay wide awake in bed next to Frisk, their naked bodies concealed under the bedsheets. Although she had hidden it well, her encounter with Cathleen had shaken her more than she cared to admit. There was no doubt that she was a demon, and her goal was Ascension. After defeating Cade, Chara had been fortunate enough to live the rest of her college days in peace, but it turned out that her next enemy had been in front of her all along.

_Shit._

Chara turned in the covers. What was she afraid of? She had beaten Cathleen, and neither of them had held back. Chara could see the frustration in Cathleen's eyes when she had lost; it was not the expression of someone who had failed on purpose. It was the look of someone who couldn't accept a crushing defeat. If she had been acting, she was damn good. No, Chara was stronger than her. She knew that. If they clashed, Cathleen wouldn't stand a chance against her.

However, that was assuming two things. The first, Cathleen fought her one-on-one, but what if she had allies? After all, someone must have been responsible for resurrecting her. Who was it? And was Cathleen the only one? Were there more? For all Chara knew, there was an _army_ of demons mobilizing to take over the world. The thought of fighting so many made Chara sick. She prayed that their numbers weren't so great.

And the second assumption was that Cathleen didn't gain any power before Chara fought her. That was not something she could count on. The more people a demon killed, the more powerful they became. Chara may have beaten Cathleen, but it hadn't been close. And Chara had been three levels higher. If that advantage were reversed, she didn't know if she would survive.

Hopefully, Chara wouldn't have to fight her at all. Like Cade, Cathleen had two options. She could try to kill Chara first, or she could start by grinding levels on softer targets. The former was risky and only possible if Cathleen had access to an anti-reset weapon, but if successful, she would immediately become the new World Master. There was no need to explain how useful the ability to reset would be for a mass murdering demon. Chara couldn't let Cathleen have that power.

But there was another way. A demon's determination increased dramatically with LOVE, so if Cathleen raised her LV above Chara's - LV 6 - that would also make her the new World Master. The problem was that she would either need to be very sneaky or very quick. As soon as she was caught, the full might of the World Government would be upon her. Not only that, Gaster would certainly join the hunt in order to harvest Cathleen's soul. With a powerful force like him pursuing her, Chara probably wouldn't need to lift a finger.

Well, Chara would keep her eyes open. If she had to defend herself, she would, but otherwise, this wasn't her fight. She had already killed one demon. Could anyone blame her for letting the professionals take care of it for once? She was just a Lab Assistant working for AlTech, not a solider. She had no intention of risking her life if she didn't have to.

Let the Government sort this one out.

… that's what Chara wanted, but she had a feeling it wasn't going to work out that way. She tossed roughly in the bedsheets, frustrated by her body's refusal to sleep. She curled up and shut her eyes as tightly as she could.

 _Why are you so afraid?_ she chided herself. _You know you can beat her. There's nothing to worry about. Go to sleep already._

Cathleen's soul-piercing stare invaded her mind. _What about you? Are you happy that Frisk was able to come back?_

_I…_

_You were happy?_

_I-I…_

_It made you happy?_

_Shut up…_

Cathleen smiled. ' _Yes, absolutely.' That was your answer, was it not?_

_But…_

_You think you are above consequences._

Chara's heat pounded.

" _I'm glad we were able to avoid that unfortunate consequence," Cathleen had said._

Consequence. That choice of word had not been an accident. Cathleen had read her like an open book. Ever since Frisk had resurrected her, Chara had been wracked with guilt for coming back. People had only one life to live, and hers should have ended when she had consumed those buttercups. Or at the very least, it should have ended alongside Asriel's. Why had she been blessed with reincarnation when far better people than her died unfairly? Where was the justice in that? The answer was simple. There wasn't, and Chara knew exactly why she had been reincarnated.

Power.

That was it. That was the only reason why she had been given special treatment. It wasn't because she was some saint who deserved another chance at life, nor was it for a chance to redeem herself. She came back because she had possessed power, and Frisk had been powerful enough to resurrect her. There was no greater meaning behind her revival, no purpose. It was just power; that was all that had mattered.

Chara silently chuckled. It wasn't as if she were the first to realize that life wasn't fair, but the guilt remained all the same. And Cathleen knew it. When she had asked if Chara was happy to see Frisk resurrected, she knew what she was really asking.

_Wouldn't it be great if anyone could be resurrected?_

That was Cathleen's goal. That was the 'fundamental flaw,' the ability for people to die, although Chara didn't know the specifics. Did Cathleen want to give people control over when they died? Make it easier to resurrect? Or did she want to do away with death entirely, granting everyone total immortality?

If it was that last one, Cathleen was the most foolish person Chara had ever met.

Immortality? Who would want to live forever? After experiencing everything life has to offer an infinite number of times, the world would become unbearably dull and gray. Flowey had experienced that, albeit on a microcosmic scale. Just as no game was meant to be played forever, life wasn't meant to be lived forever. That wasn't to say life shouldn't be enjoyed. People should always strive to live full and joyful lives, but their time was limited. Once it expired, they had to…

Chara really needed to stop thinking about this before she suffered an existential crisis. She didn't even know for sure if that was Cathleen's intent. It was time to sleep. She once again rolled over, but her agitated mind wouldn't calm down no matter how hard she tried. She opened her eyes and looked at Frisk, whose eyes were closed while he breathed softly. As Chara had suggested, they had enjoyed an intimate moment after the party ended. It had been even more intense than usual, but despite loving every second of it, her catharsis had vanished quickly once it was over. Perhaps physical comfort wasn't enough. She wished she had taken a moment to talk with Frisk about her worries, as cheesy as that sounded. She reached out and gently caressed his cheek. He shifted in the covers, and his eyes opened.

Chara froze. She hadn't meant to wake him. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. _Shit, I didn't mean to…_

Frisk gave her a gentle smile. "Can't sleep, either?"

"Y-you were awake?" Chara stammered.

Frisk nodded. "Same reason you are, probably."

Chara gave a relieved smile. It was comforting to know that she wasn't alone in her fear, but her smile soon transformed into a frown. "I won't lie, Frisk. She scares me. I feel like she can see right through me."

"She scares me, too," Frisk said, "but how does she see through you?"

Chara looked away nervously. "Why do you think she asked about your death?"

"Umm, I haven't figured that one out," Frisk confessed. "If she is a demon, maybe she wanted to compare our experiences? See if it was the same as hers?"

Chara shook her head. "No, that wasn't it."

"You know?" Frisk asked.

"We played right into her hand," Chara said. "She wanted us to admit that resurrection is something we need, and we did. Now when she begins raising her LOVE to obtain that power, we will be hypocrites for resisting."

Frisk gaped at her. "H-hey, that's a really big leap, don't you think? Yes, we were able to come back, but we didn't have to hurt anyone to do it. She'd have to kill hundreds of people to get what she wants; that's different."

Chara smiled wryly. "That's the thing. Once a demon ascends, they become nigh-omnipotent. An ascendant demon could simply resurrect everyone they had killed, and they would not lose their power. In the end, it could be bloodless."

Frisk pursed his lips. "You really think so? You can't just get something for nothing, can you?"

Chara nodded, impressed by Frisk's wisdom. "Indeed, I refuse to believe that such power may be gained for no cost, and there _is_ a cost. Don't forget the effects that LOVE has on a person's soul. LOVE suppresses one's compassion. The more LOVE one gains, the easier it becomes to hurt others. Fortunately, you and I aren't so far gone that we can't still love people, but reaching the maximum level of twenty would essentially be the same as having no soul. An ascendant demon, therefore, would have no more compassion than Flowey. We cannot trust such a heartless being with the power of a god."

"Well, there you go," Frisk said. "Maybe it would be nice if we could bring back whoever we wanted, but that power doesn't belong to us."

No, it didn't belong to them. There was no way that any power obtained by massacring innocent people was meant to be good. Perhaps it was a test of sorts. If humanity produced a demon and allowed it to ascend, they would suffer the consequences. It was humanity's mission to prevent demons from rising, or else. If so, it was an interesting way to encourage their kindness and…

Ah, who was Chara kidding? Ascension was simply a thing that existed for no greater purpose. It was there, and it was something they had to deal with. That was it. No point overthinking it.

In any case, Chara was feeling better, more confident that she had the moral high ground, but there was one thing she still needed to hear. She looked at Frisk intently. "Can you make me a promise? No matter what Cathleen does, let's do everything we can to stay out of it."

Frisk's mouth was agape with surprise. "Really?"

Chara frowned. "Is that not okay with you?"

He shook his head. "No, that's what I want, too. I just didn't expect you to say that."

Chara scowled in confusion. "Why is that so…?" But once she thought it over, she realized that Frisk's reaction was only natural. She had told him before that she was done playing the hero, yet she had allowed Cade to tempt her into a quest to save Gaster's followers, a quest that she hadn't even fulfilled. Of course Frisk didn't believe that she could turn a blind eye to whatever Cathleen did; it wasn't her nature. She had always been a relentless meddler.

But she was serious now. "I'm done," Chara said. "If I wanted to risk my life in battle, I would have joined the Military Police, but I'm not a solider. No more fighting, for real this time."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Frisk said.

"As am I," Chara said. "Although, it is still possible that we may have to defend ourselves."

Frisk smirked. "Will you protect me if I'm in trouble?"

Chara smiled warmly. "Of course, I won't let her hurt you."

He reached out and caressed her cheek. "I promise. If it comes to it, I will fight by your side. We'll always have each other's back, won't we?"

It lifted Chara's spirits to hear that. She shifted herself next to Frisk and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you."

Frisk reciprocated her embrace, holding her just as tightly as she held him. His hands were so tender. Although it was dark, she gazed into his brown locks and garnet eyes, the face of the person she was still passionately in love with. He may have been a demon, but the word 'angelic' was far more appropriate for the smile he gave her. "Hey," Frisk said, "you didn't really think I'd leave you for her, did you?"

Chara's smile turned embarrassed. "I suppose that _was_ childish of me. I know I should trust you - and I do - but the sight of someone so popular flirting with you _may_ have unnerved me a bit. I apologize."

Frisk lovingly rubbed his hands along her back, making it tingle wonderfully. "You have nothing to worry about," he said. "I don't care if the most incredible person in the world offers their hand to me. They could have a heart purer than Papyrus, wealth greater than Mettaton, beauty grander than the Angel itself. None of it would matter. I chose _you_ , and as long as you feel the same, I'm sticking to that."

Chara snickered. How did he come up with such flowery speeches on the spot? She stared fondly at him and tenderly held his cheek. "Flirt."

"But I mean it," Frisk said. "I wouldn't trade you for anyone. You're the one I want."

"Aww." She pulled him close and kissed his lips. "I believe you."

Frisk kept hugging her, sinking his chest into hers. It was nice, but Chara started to sense something desperate. It suddenly dawned on Chara that they hadn't discussed his fears yet. Chara looked at him with a concerned expression. "Umm, what about you? Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Just stay with me," Frisk said. "Let me hold you."

Chara nodded. "Okay." She turned over and curled up in Frisk's arms. His hands continued to caress her body all over. His touch was tender but tense. Chara could tell it was for his comfort as much as it was for hers. Should she ask? "I know we're both losing sleep over this, but why are you afraid?"

As Frisk hesitated, Chara smirked and tried a more lighthearted approach. "Come now, you _know_ I'm not one to neglect your needs…"

Frisk frowned. "I can't really explain it. I just have a bad feeling, like something terrible is about to happen."

Chara felt like there was more to it, but she decided not to press him any further. He didn't have to explain if he didn't want to. Sometimes, the best thing one could do for a lover was give them some space. "Well, you are not alone," she said.

"… do you really think she's that bad?" Frisk asked. "Maybe we can reason with her."

Oh, of course. Frisk was afraid that he'd have to kill her. A knot twisted in Chara's stomach. She knew that Frisk hadn't taken to killing Cade well; it was only natural that he'd be afraid of killing someone else. Chara had failed last time; she couldn't fail again. If one of them had to kill Cathleen, it had to be her.

Then again, did it really matter who dealt the final blow? Murder, accessory to murder, it was all the same. If Frisk had a hand in Cathleen death, it wouldn't matter who got the EXP. He would feel just as guilty either way. For his sake, Chara needed to consider the possibility of negotiating with Cathleen and finding a peaceful resolution.

But if that possibility didn't exist?

"I don't know," Chara said, "but we can try."

Frisk spoke no more. He just kept holding her. Chara closed her eyes. Even if he was afraid, it was still a comfort to be held by the one she loved. As always, she was happy to be with him.

"Goodnight, Frisk."

"Goodnight, Chara."

Soon, she finally drifted to sleep.

* * *

Two Weeks Later

"Alright," Everette - no, Syleth - said, "let's do this."

Everyone looked at Cathleen for guidance; she nodded. "Arms ready."

They summoned their weapons from their dimensional storage. Everyone grabbed their LMGs, except for Elara who favored her magic staff. Cathleen brandished her own LMG and waited for the elevator to reach its destination. After a few moments, the door opened, revealing a bustling airport terminal full of people. One turned and saw them, and like a ripple of water, more gradually followed.

Cathleen squeezed the trigger.

* * *

Chara couldn't believe it.

When she had signed on with AlTech, her mind had run wild wondering what sort of inventions she would be working on. Cellphones? KARMA guns? Jetpacks? Teleportation devices? With magical engineering, the possibilities were endless, but nothing had prepared her for what she was seeing.

Before Chara stood a bipedal mech about fifteen feet tall. It was covered in thick armor plating with a gleaming white and yellow paint job, and it was loaded with weapons and gear. On its back was a massive assault rifle that it could draw and fire with its big, beautiful hands, and on its left hip was a state-of-the-art vibration sword that could cut through metal like butter thanks to its overwhelmingly high oscillation rate and smoking hot temperature.

And that wasn't the only way this fine machine could turn up the heat. On both of its wrists were two flamethrowers full of the most viscous flammable liquids guaranteed to incinerate anyone too close for comfort. For those who preferred to keep things at a distance, mounted on its left shoulder was an impressively large railgun that could obliterate enemies with its high-velocity rounds, and its right shoulder was mounted with a rapid-fire energy turret that would always keep the pressure on.

Making a move was wonderful, but what about defense? Dr. Alphys had learned a lot since designing Mettaton NEO, and she had not skimped on the defenses this time. This lovely hunk of metal was equipped with two barrier projectors located on each of its forearm, giving it two powerful shields to deflect incoming attacks, and any attack that did land would have to pierce through its tastefully thick armor plating. This beauty had the endurance to go all battle long.

And don't you _dare_ forget about those _gorgeous_ legs. Their strength was incredible on their own, and they were supplemented by jump jets capable of boosting the mech up to fifty feet high. As if that weren't enough, there was also a grappling hook that could be fired from the machine's succulent chest, useful for both offense and maneuverability. Overwhelming attack power, rock-solid defense, swift agility, the AlTech Arbiter had it all.

This was reality.

Chara swooned as she beheld its radiance. She wanted to get inside; she wanted to get in that cockpit and make that beautiful mech hers. She wouldn't be satisfied until she -

Alphys tapped her shoulder. "Umm, Chara? Is something wrong?"

Chara shamefully clenched her teeth. She had been so blinded by the Arbiter's majesty that she had neglected her responsibilities. As an AlTech Lab Assistant, that conduct was unacceptable and needed to be corrected immediately. She faced Alphys and held up one finger. "Just a minute…"

She climbed up a scaffolding that had been set up behind the mech and opened a panel on its upper back. There were two small cylindrical slots inside. Chara pulled something out of her lab coat and inserted a vial full of red liquid - her own blood - into one.

There were many challenges with creating a giant robot, but one of the greatest was power. Naturally, it took a lot of energy to keep it running, and how could all that power possibly be stored in a portable battery?

Determination.

DT, the force that reanimated Chara's body, was a powerful substance. With enough DT, running the Arbiter was entirely possible, and as a LV 6 demon, Chara's blood was _filled_ with determination, far more powerful than regular DT extract. Just two vials of her blood were enough to power the mech for about twenty-four hours. To help bring this fantastic thing into the world, Chara had no problem donating as much blood as Alphys needed.

After inserting both vials, Chara climbed down and checked her monitors. "Power looks stable," she said. "The Arbiter should be safe to pilot, hopefully."

"O-okay," Alphys said. She looked at the mech. It was not an unmanned vehicle, but for safety reasons, it was currently being operated by a ghost monster, the same one who had inhabited the Ruins training dummy. They weren't much for conversation, but they would get the job done.

Although Chara had - perhaps to a disturbing degree - showered the Arbiter with praise, the truth was that it had barely been tested. It was probably not going to work perfectly on the first attempt, as was the life of an engineer. It was only natural that they weren't operating it with a corporeal being. Even if the mech exploded, the ghost monster inside would be fine, but that would have been an expensive setback, so Chara hoped it didn't turn out _that_ badly.

"L-let's try walking," Alphys said. "Just see if you can take a step, carefully."

Slowly, the mech awkwardly raised its foot and moved forward. It was a shaky step, but it landed. Chara felt like she was watching her baby walk for the first time. Well, it was Alphys's baby, so maybe it was more like watching her godchild take its first step. Chara could only wish she had half the skill Alphys had. Perhaps someday.

The Arbiter clumsily took a few more steps. Alphys squealed in excitement. "Yes, yes! That's good! You can stop now."

But the Arbiter didn't stop.

Alphys fidgeted nervously. "U-uh, hello? I said you can stop now."

The Arbiter kept moving, walking straight towards the wall.

"Umm…"

The mech collided right into it, and its legs continued to move uselessly up and down as it grinded against the wall. It was a pathetic sight.

Alphys nervously tapped her fingers. "U-uh, okay, I guess there's still a few kinks to work out."

"Well, that's to be expected," Chara reminded her. "It's still a work in progress."

"R-right!" Alphys stammered. "We just gotta keep trying!"

Chara smiled. "That's the spirit. I'm sure you will fix this in no time at -"

Suddenly, Chara's phone blared with an alarm, an emergency alert. She sighed. Those were so annoying. Did they really need to be notified that some divorced couple was fighting over their children? It was stupid. She took out her phone and read what was so damn important.

"… what?"

It was no custodial dispute.

There was a deadly terrorist attack ongoing at Ebott Airport. Hostile combatants of unknown affiliation were ruthlessly gunning down everyone in the area. Hundreds were already dead. Chara felt a chill run down her spine. Was Cathleen behind this?

"Y-yikes!" Alphys stammered. "Who would do this? If only the Arbiter were ready…"

Chara took a deep breath. She hadn't expected such a direct approach. To hell with the law, she knew what she had to do. Chara closed her eyes and prepared to reset.

**LOAD FAILED**

…

**LOAD FAILED**

… why did it never work when she needed it?

That was a rhetorical question; she knew why. Cathleen - or some other demon - had reached or exceeded LV 6, raising their DT above Chara's. It was already too late. Chara's face twisted into a dark grimace.

Just like that, she had lost control of the timeline.

"Greetings, Chara."

In a burst of dark energy, Gaster appeared before her, that bastard. Chara scowled at him. "Getting what you wanted?"

"What I _need_ ," Gaster corrected. "I strongly suggest your intervention."

Chara clicked her tongue. "Why should I? Is the military so incompetent that they can't handle a simple terrorist attack?"

"Yes," Gaster said. "Now let's get going."

"Do I have a choice?" Chara asked.

"Oh, I see," Gaster said. "Then I suppose we shall sit back and watch as our demon overlords conquer the universe." As Chara snarled at him, Gaster grabbed her wrist. "Prepare to traverse."

Chara's vision went blank for a moment, and then she was in a hallway of Ebott Airport. Terrified screams and the cackle of machinegun fire rang out in the distance. Chara gasped and whirled her head around. "H-hey, I didn't agree to this! Gaster! _Get back here!_ "

As she venomously spat Gaster's name, Frisk appeared next to her, just as confused as she was. Their eyes met. "Chara?"

"He got you, too?" Chara asked.

Frisk nodded. "What should we do?"

Chara looked at him tensely. Did they really have to fight? The enemy was much more powerful than last time. If they went in, there was no guarantee that they would survive. Why was it their job to…?

Out of nowhere, Sans appeared as well. "Fine, twist my arm." He glanced between Frisk and Chara. "Heya."

"You're going to help?" Frisk asked.

Sans shrugged. "Wasn't planning on it, but the boss is insisting, so I guess I have to."

"So Gaster thinks he can conscript you as well," Chara said. "Perhaps you are willing to die for him, but I have no intention of sacrificing my life for someone else's war. Let the Government do their job for -"

" _Hands where I can see them!_ "

A familiar voice boomed from behind. "No sudden movements! Slowly turn around and…" He trailed off. "Frisk? Is that you?"

They turned around and saw Nate Miller aiming a rifle at them, along with Nora and a squad of Military Police officers. Once he saw their faces, he lowered his weapon. "What are you doing here?"

Now that was a question. What _were_ they doing here? They couldn't say they were here to help, because they weren't. Would the soldiers believe them if they told the truth? Perhaps Nate and Nora would, but the others? Every single one of them still had a rifle trained at their heads. Chara cursed Gaster for putting them in this position. Looking at their furrowed brows, she knew exactly what the Military Police was thinking.

They thought they were with the terrorists.

"Oh, hey," Sans said. "You here to stop and _frisk_ us? Sounds fun, but I think we have more important business right now."

"We… aren't supposed to be here," Frisk said, answering Nate's question. "Dr. W.D. Gaster teleported us here against our will, but we don't want to fight."

A random Military Police asshole scoffed. "You believe this shit, Commander? Let's kill these demons already."

"Hold your fire!" Nate barked. "They're _not_ terrorists!"

As Nate ordered his troops to stay in line, Nora stared at Frisk and Chara with glowing purple eyes. "Their EXP is the same as it's been since the Felwinter Incident. They haven't killed anyone."

"Not _directly_ ," MP Asshole No. 2 said.

"Nora's right," Chara growled. "It has been over seven years since I've gained EXP. However, I have no qualms with breaking that streak today."

As more guns shifted towards Chara's direction, Sans cringed. "Uh, yeah. Maybe leave the negotiations to Frisk."

"We're not with them," Frisk swore. "We just want to -"

Another burst of dark energy interrupted him, and… Asriel appeared. Chara hadn't thought her stomach could sink any deeper, but here it was. Why had he brought Asriel?

"You, too?" Frisk asked.

"Uh, Gaster said you needed help," Asriel said. "What's going…?"

One-by-one, more people followed. Toriel, Asgore, Undyne, Atami, Tevis, Elodie… Gaster teleported all of them in. Chara's fists trembled with rage. _What the hell is he thinking?! He can't just force them all to fight._

Well, some were more willing than others. Clad in full armor, Undyne stomped her foot on the ground and roared with a fierce battle cry. "Where are they?!"

The MP soldiers didn't lower their weapons, but they looked at each other in confusion. Sans chuckled. "Shortcuts are a crazy thing, huh?"

Some of the newcomers looked confused as well. Toriel's pale face turned to Chara as she spoke with a hushed voice. "My child, is it true that you intend to battle those murderers?"

No, it wasn't. Chara couldn't let Gaster have his way with them. Flames burning in her crimson eyes, she addressed everyone who had just arrived. "To ensure that we are all on the same page, does anyone not know why we are here?"

"Some kind of attack, right?" Asriel asked. "Gaster said you needed help to fight -"

"No," Chara said. "Let me make this clear; Frisk and I have no intention of fighting. This is _not_ our problem. Gaster can go fuck himself."

Toriel exhaled a sharp, relieved breath. "Oh, good. Those unfortunate souls have my condolences, but I do not wish for you to be put in harm's way again. Let us withdraw."

Chara nodded. "If anyone wishes to fight, go ahead, but I am going home."

Atami looked in the direction where the gunfire was coming from. Summoning her rapier, she ran forward. Without a word, Tevis followed her. Chara gaped at them. Did they have no sense of self-preservation?

Undyne laughed. "That's the spirit! You guys stay here. We'll take care of this. NGAAAAHH!" She raised her energy lance high and charged ahead with Atami and Tevis.

As they left, Frisk reached out his hand as if to catch them. "Wait! Don't…" It was no use. They were already halfway down the hall. Frisk's eyes went wide, and he breathed roughly. Chara didn't like it one bit. She gave him a fearful look, begging him not to do what he was thinking.

"Don't…"

Frisk chased after them.

… just as there was no way Frisk could have let Undyne and Atami fight alone, there was no way Chara could stand idle while Frisk fought. Although she wasn't at all happy about it, she ignored her pounding heart and joined the charge.

 _AAAAAGH! THAT BASTARD!_ Chara swore. _Damn you, Gaster! If I survive this, I will tear your soul to pieces and scatter them back across time and space!_

Now that Frisk and Chara were running into battle, it was only natural that Toriel, Asgore, and Asriel followed. Elodie moved as well, and Sans had disappeared, probably using teleportation. If Chara had to fight, she hoped Sans would make the enemy suffer.

Meanwhile, Nate glanced at his bewildered troops and waved them forward. "Are you going to stand here all day while civilians fight for you?! Move your asses!"

The Military Police moved out alongside Gaster's conscripts as they rushed to battle the terrorists. They ran down another hallway lined with shops and terminals. A security checkpoint was within sight, and a horde of frenzied civilians were running through. The injured left behind trails of blood as they limped away, supported by those who were lucky enough to escape unscathed. The gunfire grew closer, and everyone still stuck in the checkpoint collapsed to the floor in a pool of corpses, blood, and dust.

Chara whimpered, but she couldn't lose focus. She took cover in a nearby gift shop. Frisk and Asriel filed in next to her, and everyone else moved into the other shops. She carefully peeked around the corner, and her worst fears were realized. Stepping over the bodies of her victims, Cathleen walked through the checkpoint, accompanied by dozens of allies. Most of them had either a machine gun or a rifle. One wielded a magical staff, a young woman with ginger hair, and a middle-aged man with the same hair color carried a longsword and a barrier projector. Chara didn't have time to inspect them all, but everyone she checked had red eyes.

Were they all demons?

"Open fire!"

The Military Police unleashed their guns on the enemy, but the one with the barrier projector had anticipated their attack. He activated his energy shield, which was about five times his width, and absorbed the projectiles. The enemy returned fire, their bullets passing through the one-way shield, and the soldiers dived behind cover. Chara stayed back as she felt the bullets fly past her. How could they get around that barrier?

Sans appeared next to Chara. "Fine, I'll do it." He raised his arm and summoned a blaster, and he fired it at the shield-user. The beam ignored the barrier and passed right through, striking the enemy. The hit left a dark scorch mark in his chest, and his face twisted in pain. Sans fired another beam. The enemy lowered his shield and jumped to the side, avoiding the blaster but exposing his allies. They scrambled for cover while the Military Police fired another volley of bullets, diving behind seats, restaurants, and shops on each side of the concourse. A few were hit, but most made it out of the way.

Chara couldn't waste the opening. She prepared fireballs in both hands and launched them into the enemy's hiding spots. They exploded on contact, hopefully devastating whoever was nearby. While Chara readied another round, some sort of magic fired back at her. They were sharp, dark spikes glowing with a deep purple aura. She immediately stepped back behind her wall and watched the spikes fly past her, too close for comfort. They lodged into a column behind her and shattered on contact. Chara did _not_ want to get hit by them.

She saw more. No, they were different. Smaller, more like needles. Unlike the spikes which flew in a straight line, these ones arched around the corner Chara was hiding behind. Clicking her tongue, she put up a barrier to deflect the needles. She felt them puncture the barrier, and after a few moments, the projectiles exploded inside. The blast radius wasn't very big, but the impact made her arms shudder. She _really_ didn't want to get hit by these.

More dark needles swarmed their position. One of the Military Police soldiers popped out of cover to fire on the caster. The one with the big shield returned and absorbed the shots, and the needles converged on him. He winced as they jabbed all over his body. One, two, five… once the seventh went in, they all detonated in a brilliant purple explosion. The solider didn't have a chance to scream. His corpse fell to the ground soaked in its own blood and guts.

Chara felt sick to her stomach. She didn't much care for that random solider, but if she wasn't careful, she could be next. She summoned some energy knives and threw them at the enemy mage, only for the shield-user to block them. _Damn it! We need a way past -_

Her eyes darted upward. Something in the air was coming at her fast. It was a humanoid figure, diving down with a longsword pointed at her chest. Chara drew her knife and parried the blade, and she got a better look at her assailant. Human skin, human hair, everything about him was human… except there were two massive white wings on his back. Was he a monster? Chara had never seen a monster this humanlike, but she supposed it wasn't impossible.

In any case, she could worry about that later. Human or monster, he was an enemy that needed to be eliminated. Chara pulled her knife close and thrust it towards the enemy's stomach. He rolled to the side and avoided it, and he thrust his free hand forward. Chara shielded her eyes as a sudden flash of light blinded her. Light magic? She couldn't see anything. Chara frantically guarded her upper body, but she had no idea where -

She felt a steel blade impale one of her lungs.

"Chara!"

Her vision returned just in time to see Frisk smack the birdman in the face with his force baton. Chara winced as the sword left her body. She held the bleeding wound and wheezed. She couldn't breathe. She slumped against a wall as her vision clouded. Without treatment, she would…

Asriel knelt to her level and held a hand over her wound. It emitted a green light. The wound closed swiftly, and Chara's HP was restored to full capacity. Chara gasped for breath, and air returned to her lung. "Th-thanks."

Meanwhile, several soldiers fired at the birdman. He took a few bullets, but he managed to fly back into cover, probably not beyond healing. Chara wanted him dead, but his friends were in the way. More dark magic and gunfire bombarded their position. Another Military Police soldier went up in purple mist, and another was shot in the head by an enemy's rifle. Chara didn't like their odds; the enemy had too much pressure on them. Panicking, she screamed at the only one who could possibly turn the tide. " _Sans! Do something!_ "

_Wait, why isn't Gaster fighting?_

Sans sent waves of energy bones and blaster fire at the entrenched enemies, especially the dark mage. He gripped her soul with force magic and flung her high in the air, and he surrounded her with four Gaster blasters. They revved loudly as they charged up, ready to disintegrate her.

But before the blasters fired, the birdman swooped in and carried her out of the way. The blasters hit nothing but the ceiling. Sans kept firing, but the bird guy skillfully tilted and turned past his shots. Frisk stepped out of cover and sent a gust of wind flying at him. His magic struck the enemy and knocked him off balance, and Sans hit him with a blaster. He grimaced and dropped the dark mage. Chara threw a volley of energy knives, but the one with the shield quickly ran to her side and blocked them all.

Sans fired again at the shield-user. The enemy had to have known that the blaster would pierce through, but he held his ground anyway, taking the full force of the blaster's beam. As Sans's power seared his flesh, the dark mage gasped in horror. She dashed through her ally's shield and launched a barrage of dark spikes at Sans. He teleported aside and gripped her again with his telekinesis, and he yanked her towards them, clearly into the Military Police's line of sight. They opened fire and…

The dark mage flew away, but the flier hadn't grabbed her this time. In an instant, she had dashed back to a relatively safe position in a burst of dark energy. So, she could use Blink, as if she weren't already powerful enough. Deadly magic, lightning agility, was she a match for Sans himself? Chara cast Check on her.

" **Elara Gilbert" - LV 10**

 **HP:** 56/56

 **EXP:** 1200

 **ATK:** 28 (60)

 **DEF:** 12 (4)

 **WEAPON:** Dark Staff

 **ARMOR:** Family Amulet

Chara's hunch was correct. High attack, low defense. She was a glass cannon. As dangerous as she was, one or two good hits would likely be the end of her.

_But holy shit, twelve-hundred EXP? Already? Fucking psychopath._

She snapped out of her Check scan just in time to see Cathleen fire her magic at her. A gleaming, razor sharp green crystal flew for Chara's chest. She stepped out of the way and dodged the projectile. Cathleen's crystal magic was powerful, but it didn't scare her as much as Elara's dark magic. She had beaten Cathleen before; she could do it again.

Her eyes fixed on Elara, Undyne stomped on the ground and roared. " _Who do you think you are?!_ " She hurled as many spears at her as she could. Atami joined in and readied a salvo of fireballs, and so did Asgore and Toriel. Asriel also fired his magic, star-shaped energy projectiles that spit into smaller stars near the target. Frisk sent his energy spikes after her. Nora fired a sword beam. Elodie used lightning. Tevis shot his bow. Meanwhile, Sans kept pressure on the shield-user with his blasters. Not one to be left out, Chara fired more energy knives at Elara. They needed to throw everything they had at her.

The shield-user's flesh was blackened from Sans's blasters, but with heavy breaths, he evaded the rest of his shots. His barrier glowed a brilliant blue, and every single spell they had fired at Elara was sucked into it. The magic sent ripples racing through the barrier with every hit, and it gradually changed color. The blue turned to yellow, and the yellow turned to red. By the time the last spell had struck it, the barrier shattered to pieces, leaving its wielder unprotected. The shield was strong, but not unbreakable.

"Not what I was going for, but I'll take it!" Undyne barked.

Although they were enemies, Chara was fascinated by whatever magic he had used to absorb their attacks. _Interesting maneuver. He sacrificed his shield, but he protected his ally. It goes without saying that he is the tank of their unit. What are his stats?_

" **Seth Gilbert" - LV 8**

 **HP:** 23/48

 **EXP:** 540

 **ATK:** 24 (6)

 **DEF:** 11 (50)

 **WEAPON:** Knight's Sword

 **ARMOR:** Great Barrier

Tank, indeed, and Chara noted that surname. _No wonder he is so determined to protect her, but does he realize how many other families he has torn apart? Hypocrite._

"Don't let up!" Undyne shouted. She chucked more spears at Elara. She blinked away, and Cathleen shot a crystal into Undyne's stomach. The blow sent her reeling, and a worrying amount of dust poured out of the wound. Atami clicked her tongue and dug in her heels, aiming her rapier at Cathleen. Chara gasped. Was she seriously about to user her charge skill? That was suicide! Surely she knew better than…

In a huge burst of energy, Atami bolted towards Cathleen with her rapier forward. It was fast, but Cathleen saw it coming. Within a split second, Atami's blade clanged against a crystal shield. The impact broke the bones in her arm and knocked her to the ground, and Cathleen stood firmly above her.

Before the enemy filled her with bullets, Sans immediately pulled Atami back with telekinesis. He dragged her back behind a wall. Chara was glad to see her safe, but what had she been thinking? Had she really believed that would work? Chara knew that Atami wasn't the best tactician, but charging straight into that many enemies with guns was just insane! Hell, even if it were just Cathleen, she still would have died. Had she lost all sense of reason?!

Chara wanted to berate her, but the sensation of an incoming attack interrupted her. A cloud of dark energy struck the ground beneath her feet and exploded like a grenade. The detonation sent Chara flying into the wall behind her. Panting, she planted her hands into the floor. Something was inside her. She felt as if cockroaches were crawling beneath her skin. Her throat grew painfully sore, and she coughed up blood. She also suffered a nosebleed, and even more blood trickled out of her ringing ears. Was this Elara's magic? But wasn't Sans…?

Oh, right.

While Sans was busy saving Atami, he had been forced to divert his attention away from Elara, and she had used those precious few moments to unleash another barrage of dark magic. The others frantically avoided Elara's spikes and spells, but there were too many, too fast. One spike struck Toriel's arm as she tried to cast a fireball, and a handful of needles splintered inside Asgore. They were on the opposite end of the hallway. Chara could only hope their injuries weren't too severe.

At the same time, the birdman came back for another attack. This time, he stayed in the air and rained down beams of light on whoever he saw. Although he was invisible, one of the beams hit Tevis's leg, and Nate took one in the chest, which burned a hole in his uniform and knocked him down. Nora deflected another beam with a barrier and swung her katana. She was much too far away to strike him with the blade, but a cutting gale of magical energy shot out from the arc of her swing. The birdman swiveled his head and flew above the attack. He snarled and dived towards Nora, and they clashed blades.

Still on the ground, Nate drew his revolver and aimed at the birdman. He fired, and - without even turning to look - the birdman deflected it with a barrier while parrying another swing of Nora's katana, and he swung back and landed a cut through Nora's side. Grimacing, Nate fired more bullets, only for them all to be deflected. As more soldiers took aim at him, however, the birdman had the sense to pull back and fly away.

Chara blinked. Those reflexes were beyond typical human or monster capabilities. Only someone with Sense Enemy could have blocked Nate's shots like that, but only purple souls and demons were known to possess that skill. What _was_ he? For the third time this battle, Chara used Check.

" **eSvYeLrEeTtHtKeAvSiSctor" - LV 9**

 **HP:** 52/52

 **EXP:** 850

 **ATK:** 26 (36)

 **DEF:** 12 (20)

 **WEAPON:** Longsword

 **ARMOR:** DoG Emblem

… _what the fuck?_

Whatever. Chara still felt like roaches were chewing on her insides. Healing was a _much_ higher priority. She looked at the others; she needed…

Oh…

They had also been caught in the explosion. Frisk, Elodie, and Asriel were rolling on the ground in agony, bleeding out of their orifices. Chara held Asriel's shoulder and cast a healing spell on him. "Brother! It's going to be…!"

Out of nowhere, Chara felt her body sink into the ground. _What?! What is this?!_ Her legs were covered in some kind of black sludge. It was dark and sticky, just like the tar she dripped when going full demon. The floor had suddenly turned into a pit of the stuff. Although she couldn't say for certain, she wagered that it was another one of Elara's spells. Did she ever run out of EN? She was a demon for sure.

Chara helped Asriel stand, and Frisk and Elodie got up as well. That was good, because they kept sinking until they were waist deep in tar. Obviously, this would hinder their mobility, but for now, they needed to focus on healing. Chara put her hand back over Asriel and tried to resume healing him…

But nothing happened.

"What?" Chara concentrated with all her might, but no magic would come. Why…? Did this tar disable magic? Chara tried casting a fireball, and flame lit up in her hand. Magic still worked; she just couldn't use healing magic. Asriel also tried healing Chara's injuries, but he wasn't able to do anything, either. Frisk and Elodie had no luck themselves.

 _Okay, if that's not working…_ Chara reached into the tar and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She wiped off the black substance and accessed her dimensional box, and she summoned her emergency chocolate. This magic-infused confection should have been able to restore her to full health. She popped it into her mouth. The chocolate magically dissolved inside, but she didn't feel her wounds get any better. She was still missing half her HP; it had done nothing.

That confirmed it. This pool of tar disabled all healing.

Chara growled in frustration. Right when so many of them were injured, the enemy had taken away their ability to recover. It was masterful timing; she had to admit. She glanced down the concourse. The tar covered their entire side, while enemy's side was normal. If this spell lasted long enough, they were all dead.

 _What should I do?_ Chara didn't know if the pit in her stomach was caused more by Elara's spell or by her own fear. _There's no telling how long this spell will last. Is escape our only option?_ She dragged her feet through the tar; it took a fair bit of strength to move at all. With their speed bogged down so greatly, how could they possibly break free? They needed a brilliant plan to get out of this.

An idea popped into Chara's head. If _Frisk casts Ceasefire, we could easily escape... but so could the enemy. They have already completed their objective, killing the resistance is just a bonus. They have no reason to linger if we can't stop them. If Frisk uses his Special Attack, and they escape, he will be held responsible. Knowing Clovis, he'll charge Frisk with treason or some bullshit. No, we can't use Ceasefire._ Feeling dejected, she looked at the enemy's side. _If we just try to move forward… can we make it? With our injuries…_

Frisk gave her a dreadful look, but there was still determination in his eyes. "We need to move."

Chara nodded. "Yes, we do."

"B-but how?" Elodie asked while coughing up blood.

Chara desperately tried to think of something. If they all cast barriers, they could protect the soldiers as they advanced, but they probably wouldn't hold out long enough. They could only deflect so many bullets and magic until their barriers shattered. Combine that with the tar, and Chara didn't like their odds at all. If only there were a certain skeleton ghost who could help them with overwhelming power. She threw her hands up and screamed. "Gaster! What the hell are you doing?!"

Suddenly, Seth ran towards Cathleen and raised his shield. "Lady Cathleen!" His barrier glowing yellow - _Great, it regenerates_ \- he deflected a bullet that had fired from the security checkpoint.

Two thoughts raced through Chara's mind. The first, ' _Lady Cathleen?' Like some kind of princess? Who…?_ Actually, the monsters had often addressed herself as 'Lady Chara,' so perhaps she had no right to complain. Still, she doubted very much that Cathleen was legitimate royalty. The more likely explanation was that these people were a crazed cult who referred to their officers by fancy titles.

 _But is Cathleen their commander?_ Chara wondered. _I won't deny her strength, but… she's so young. How did a mere college student convince all these people to follow her?_

However, her second thought was more important. Who had fired that shot? Reinforcements? It was about time! She couldn't see them. They were too far down the security checkpoint, but she could see the enemy's reaction. Their faces were completely bewildered by whatever they were looking at.

"Dacuel?!" Elara screamed.

Whoever Dacuel was, Cathleen faced them with an icy expression. "So, it's treason, then."

Chara had no idea what was going on, but this may have been the opening they needed. She looked and Nate and signaled with her eyes for him to order an advance. Nate glanced at the enemy; there were still several guns pointed their way. His exasperated yellow eyes responded that he was in no hurry for a heroic charge into the line of fire. Chara clenched her teeth. What other choice did they have?

Emanating an authoritative aura, Cathleen jabbed her finger at the mysterious newcomer. "Everyone! Dacuel Argien is now our enemy! Kill him immediately!"

But the terrorists hesitated. The expressions on their faces were a mix of confusion, pain, and betrayal. Clearly, they had considered this Dacuel a friend, but he had turned against them. Good, Chara hoped it crippled their morale.

"Dacuel, we don't want to kill you!" Elara cried. "Please! Just go -"

There was a loud bang, and a fine red mist sprayed out of Elara's head. Chara grinned. When this was over, she would have to give Dacuel her highest praise. It may not have been Chara's style, but one could never underestimate the power of a good sniper.

Although, Chara still felt the tar soak her legs. It seemed that killing Elara didn't cancel the spell. That lessened her excitement somewhat, but taking that dark mage out was still a massive help. With her gone, Chara felt more confident that they could advance.

"ELARA!" Seth screamed.

The birdman spread his wings and screeched. " _Traitor!_ "

Cathleen ran to the red soul that hovered over Elara's corpse. "Seth, cover me!"

"Y-yes, Chieftain!"

' _Chieftain?' So that's her title? Strange, that's the kind of title I'd expect from a medieval village leader, not anyone in… but if she's a demon, she could very well have originated from those times... wait, what is she doing?_

Covered behind Seth's shield, Cathleen cupped Elara's soul in her hands. A green light glowed and…

_Is she…? No, that's impossible! If Elara is a demon, there should be no way to resurrect her! If a demon's HP reaches zero, that's supposed to be it. No more second chances, even if the soul persists. Unless she isn't a demon after all? But, Cathleen isn't even injecting her with DT. She's just using magic. What kind of spell allows you to revive someone from the dead…? Could this be her Special Ability?_

Back in Alpin University, Chara had once asked Cathleen if she had a Special Attack or Ability. Chara had still been trying to develop one for herself, and she was hoping that Cathleen could help her. Unfortunately, Cathleen had claimed that she had no Special Ability herself, but if Chara was seeing what she thought, then that had been a bald-faced lie. Surely, nothing in Cathleen's arsenal other than a Special Ability was capable of resurrecting a demon.

While Elara's soul returned to her body, a powerful gust of wind blew through the enemy's ranks and swept them all off their feet, except for Cathleen, Seth, and Elara who had been protected by Seth's barrier. _Hmm, so Dacuel's a wind mage, like Frisk. It's a shame he couldn't break through Seth's barrier, but…_

Chara moved forward. They couldn't count on another attack like that. Chara wouldn't be surprised if Dacuel had used all his EN to cast wind magic that strong. They needed to move while they still could. "Come on! This is our chance!"

Nate nodded and gestured towards his troops. "All those in favor of _not_ drowning in this sludge, move up!"

Chara trudged her feet through the tar and looked ahead. The enemy gradually got back to their feet, including Elara. The bullet wound on her head was gone, and she opened her eyes as if waking from a bad dream. Resurrection... if that was Cathleen's Special Ability, she wouldn't be able to use it again this battle; they could only be used once a day. Chara hoped the others kept that in mind before panicking.

Frisk whimpered as he saw Elara get back up. "Wh-what?"

Elodie cringed. "Oh, come on, that's BS."

"Don't give up," Chara said. "I'm fairly certain that - no, I _am_ certain that was her Special Ability. She cannot use it again."

"I hope not," Elodie said darkly.

As they approached the edge of the puddle, Chara felt the floor curve upward. The tar's level fell down to her ankles. They were almost out, but the enemy finished recovering and aimed their weapons. Chara readied a barrier. Just a few more steps…

"'Nades out!"

On Nate's command, the surviving MP troopers pulled the pins on their fragmentation grenades and threw them at the enemy. All of them either dived out of the way or used magic to block the explosions, but they didn't stop there. More fireballs from Asgore and Toriel flew in an arc overhead, a helix pattern of Sans's energy bones weaved past Chara and towards the enemy, and Asriel sent bright rainbow stars crashing down on them. The constant stream of attacks kept them pinned long enough for them to escape the tar.

Finally, Chara cleared the pit and stood on dry ground again, and everyone else soon followed. Once they were outside of the anti-healing zone, Elodie raised her scepter and cast a spell. "Group Heal!"

A green ripple shot out from her scepter, and everyone's wounds were partially healed. Asriel raised his hands and cast another healing spell, finishing the job. Chara felt the horrible sickness caused by Elara's spell fade away, and her HP returned to its maximum value. The others were restored as well.

Chara held her knife firm. She really didn't want to be here, but she had no choice but to engage in close combat. There were a couple hostiles crouched behind a row of seats to her left. She and Frisk ran around the seats. Frisk knocked the closer enemy off balance with a burst of wind magic, and Chara stabbed him in the neck. While the first enemy collapsed, the second one aimed his rifle, but before he could fire, Frisk dashed forward and smashed his face with his baton. As he staggered in pain, Chara leapt past Frisk and thrust her knife into the enemy's heart. He fell and followed his ally to the grave. Two down.

Sensing retaliation, Chara turned just in time to block a sharp crystal aimed at her head. She faced Cathleen, who stared at her with a determined expression. She was armed with her usual weapons, a one-handed steel axe and a shield made of her crystal magic.

"Protect me, Frisk," Chara whispered. "I shall deal with her; you keep the others off me."

Frisk nodded in understanding, and Chara stepped forward to challenge Cathleen. She pointed her knife at her. "You are having a bit too much fun; I will make you regret it."

Cathleen scowled. "I expected better from you, Chara. If you think of people as simply enemies or allies, it may be impossible to grasp the truth. Is that not the lesson that has been drilled into your skull time after time?"

She shook her head. "I know what you are, and I will do everything in my power to stop you."

Cathleen brandished her axe. "At your ready, then."

Chara approached the enemy.

* * *

The battle raged around Asgore as he pressed forward. Combatants on both sides fell while the Military Police and terrorists traded fire. The battle between Elara and Sans was especially intense. Both focused their magic on each other, and both dodged the other's attacks with incredible agility. Sans teleported away from a row of spikes while Elara used Blink to break free of Sans's telekinesis, evading a pit of bones that Sans had tried to slam her into. Sweat dripped down Sans's skull, and Elara panted. They were locked in a deadly battle of speed and endurance. Asgore hoped Sans could hold out. He knew that Sans was strong, but he had his limits. One good hit was all it took to defeat him.

In the midst of the chaos, a certain enemy caught Asgore's eye, the knight with the big shield. He bore a resemblance to Elara, and aside from that, there was something familiar about him. Come to think of it, they _both_ looked familiar. _Elara... isn't that...?_ _No, I must be imagining things. There is no way they could be…_

With a firm grip on his trident, Asgore ran at the enemy knight. He closed the distance quickly and swung his weapon down. The knight raised his barrier, but it was already glowing yellow. The first strike of Asgore's trident turned it deep orange, and the second turned it blood red. After a third swing, the barrier shattered.

The knight grunted and fought back with a slash of his sword. He landed a cut across Asgore's arm, but he ignored the pain, dug in his heels, and charged. Asgore spread his arms and tackled the knight, sending him flying into some gift shop. As the knight fell on his back, Asgore pointed his trident down at his chest. "You! What is your name?!"

The familiar man looked up at Asgore with a belligerent yet respectful expression. "I'm flattered you remember, Your Majesty."

Asgore's eyes widened. His memory hadn't been playing tricks on him? It was truly…? "It cannot be… Sir Gilbert of Garnet Village?"

Seth nodded. "In the flesh."

"Impossible," Asgore breathed. "That was millennia ago, before the war."

"And your adoptive child is over a hundred years old," Seth countered. "Is it really so hard to believe?"

Asgore lowered his head, but not so much that his guard was dropped. Anger burned within his gray soul. "I thought you were a man of honor. Have the years warped you?"

Suddenly, Seth swiped his blade, and a beam of energy struck Asgore's face and made him recoil, giving Seth a chance to roll back to his feet. He stared at Asgore intently and brandished his blade. "Apologies, Your Majesty. I'm afraid the battlefield is ill-suited for idle chatter. I will not hold back, not even for you."

Asgore growled at the traitor. "So be it." He lunged and thrust his trident at Seth's chest. He sidestepped the attack, but Asgore quickly followed up with another swing. Seth tried to lean back, but the trident's blades sliced three cuts across his face. He grimaced. The cuts weren't nearly deep enough to be fatal, but they were certainly painful.

Elara gasped when she saw Seth's injury, but an endless swarm of bones and blasters prevented her from rushing to his aid. Asgore recalled that Elara was Seth's daughter. Those two had hailed from Garnet Village, and they had been among the few humans to defend monsterkind while the war had brewed. The destruction of that village had been an unforgivable tragedy. Asgore certainly hadn't expected to see them again, let alone after two-thousand years.

Ah, but now wasn't the time to reminisce about old times. It pained Asgore to see what Seth had become, but all he could do was fight. He opened his hand and launched a string of fireballs at Seth, but the traitor dodged past and raised his sword for a downward swing. Asgore was too slow to evade, and the blade cut through his shoulder, opening a mildly dusty wound. Fortunately, Seth's attacks weren't too damaging. His skillset was obviously focused more on defense than offense. If no one interfered, this was going to be a long duel.

Asgore's hands trembled. No, he had to end this as quickly as possible. He couldn't let the traitor get away with turning so many of his kind to dust. Asgore raised his fist and summoned several circles of fireballs around Seth. Sadly, Asgore didn't have the strength to complete the circles. He had to leave small gaps in each one or he would collapse due to energy depletion, but he made them close in on Seth as quickly as he could. However, the traitor spotted each opening and jumped through them before the circles closed.

He was skilled, but Asgore wasn't done yet. He stepped in and rapidly swung his trident. No fancy tricks, just a relentless close-quarters assault. Seth raised his sword and rhythmically deflected every attack. Asgore felt the impact of every hit, but he didn't stop. He took one hand off his trident and slammed his fist into the bridge of Seth's nose, painting his upper lip crimson with his blood. While he flinched, Asgore gripped his trident and thrust it towards Seth's chest.

But Seth stepped forward and parried with an upward swing. He dashed through Asgore's defense and thrust his sword into Asgore's stomach. He gagged and coughed up dust. The blade had gone about halfway through. It wasn't fatal, but Seth pulled back his blade and thrust it back in. Asgore roared in pain, and Seth stabbed him again. He needed to get him away. Asgore bent his knee and shoved Seth back with a kick.

Asgore panted and held his wounds, while Seth prepared to charge back in. Asgore summoned a thick column of fireballs and threw them at Seth's side, forcing him to step back, but from that distance, Seth swiped his sword and launched another sword beam. It cut through the center of Asgore's body, spilling more dust. He felt himself grow weak, but he couldn't lose hope. He ignited a fireball in his hand, and Seth jumped to the side.

… but Asgore hadn't thrown it yet.

A fireball that Asgore hadn't summoned struck the wall behind Seth, and more soon followed. Seth struggled to avoid them all. Asgore quickly added his own magic, doubling the projectiles Seth had to dodge. Overwhelmed, Seth activated his shield, but it was already glowing red. A few more fireballs was all it took to shatter it again. Several projectiles hit Seth and blackened his body, but determination remained in his red eyes. He ran through the fire with his sword held high. Asgore readied his trident and…

A white fist jabbed into Seth's face, and another hooked into his jaw. Toriel finished the chain by grabbing Seth's head and slamming it into the wall. Asgore smiled. "Toriel, thank you for -"

"Stay focused!" Toriel hissed.

Asgore whimpered, but Toriel was absolutely right. Seth held his head and wobbled, but he was still able to swung his sword. Toriel jumped back and threw more fire while Asgore approached and swiped at him again. Seth continued to deflect his strikes, but Toriel's flame seared into his sides. They almost had him. Underneath his rage, a feeling of sorrow flowed within Asgore's soul. He didn't want to kill his former ally; why had he betrayed them? Was he one of the demons that everyone feared? If his goal was power, Asgore couldn't allow him to succeed.

While Asgore blocked an attack from Seth, Toriel's attention suddenly shifted…

* * *

Covered in cuts and bruises, Chara panted heavily. She gasped as another crystal jabbed into her side. Cathleen, on the other hand, faced Chara with no injuries and no sign of exhaustion. Chara fought back the growing sense of despair in her beating heart. Frisk had his hands full covering Chara from anyone who was too close, Elodie and Asriel were supporting the soldiers, Sans was still locked in a fierce duel with Elara, Undyne was fighting the bird guy, Asgore and Toriel were fighting Seth, and everyone else was engaged with the rest of Cathleen's terrorists. There was no one that could help her. Somehow, Chara had to turn this duel around.

Chara dodged a swing of Cathleen's axe and tried to step in, only to be bashed away by her shield. Chara growled and hurled a fireball at it. Her magic used to tear holes into Cathleen's shield, but now her shield absorbed the projectiles without suffering a scratch.

 _Fine, if I can't go through it, I'll go around it._ Chara dashed around Cathleen and aimed her knife at her side, but she wasn't fast enough. Cathleen spun her axe and struck Chara's chest. She had enough HP to survive, falling to eighteen points, but a warm trickle of blood still flowed down. Cathleen raised her axe for a follow-up, and Chara braced to parry it.

But Cathleen's axe didn't swing down. Instead, she lowered it and initiated a sweeping attack. Chara tried to jump back, but she had caught the feint too late. The axe slashed her right leg and made her collapse to one knee. Chara winced and struggled to get up, but her leg wouldn't listen. She trembled and fell back to the floor. _Come on! Come on!_ She looked up to see Cathleen staring down at her coldly. Her axe rose high, ready to chop off her head…

Cathleen turned, and flame crashed against her shield. Toriel suddenly sprinted to Chara's side. She surrounded Cathleen with fire and sent it all racing after her. Some of it hit Cathleen's shield, while the rest missed entirely. Cathleen fired back with crystals, and they perforated Toriel's body all over. Chara's heart froze with terror. Toriel couldn't… "M-Mother! Get away!"

Toriel didn't listen. She ran forward. As Cathleen shot more crystals into her body, Toriel slowed to a limping walk, but she kept moving, summoning more fire as she did. A few fireballs hit their target, but they only dealt superficial damage. Cathleen easily shrugged it off and keep firing. Dust poured out of Toriel's wounds, but she reached Cathleen. She ignited massive flames in both her hands for a close-up attack…

Cathleen swung her axe through Toriel's neck, and her head rolled off her shoulders.

Chara blinked.

_No…_

_That didn't happen._

_It didn't…_

Toriel's headless body continued to walk forward. It took a few more steps as the flames in her hands gradually died, and her body finally collapsed to the floor. It turned to dust. Her gray soul hovered in the air for a few moments before shattering to pieces.

An intense stinging sensation assailed Chara's eyes. _Mother… you can't..._

Chara's entire body vibrated wildly. Cathleen… she had… Chara got back to her feet. Her eyes dripping with tar, she looked at the one who had murdered her mother. "You…"

Cathleen continued to give her that cold stare. "If you wish to see her again, killing me is the last thing you want."

_You arrogant creature. You think people's lives are yours to command? You think you can kill whoever you please and act like nothing happened? You think you can bring back the world you destroyed?_

_You think you are above consequences?_

Chara spread her arms…

* * *

"AAAAAAHHHHH!"

Frisk swiveled his head at the sound of that bloodcurdling scream. Chara was still fighting Cathleen, and her face was covered in that black substance. She had converted into her full demon form. Frisk didn't know what had pissed her off, but she surrounded Cathleen with so many energy knives that Frisk could barely see through them. What was going on? He swept the terrorists he was fighting away with a burst of wind magic and ran behind cover. The knives tore several cuts across Cathleen's body, but there were so many. There was no way Chara could keep this up for long. Cathleen lost a quarter of her HP, Chara's EN rapidly plummeted. Fifty percent, forty percent, thirty percent… at this rate, she was going to run out long before Cathleen fell. Frisk couldn't let that happen.

He had to use his Special Attack.

A red aura enveloped him, and he slammed the palm of his hand into the ground. A crimson pulse rippled throughout the airport, and everyone in the area was afflicted with Frisk's Ceasefire spell. Every gun stopped shooting, and Chara's magic forcibly stopped. This only exacerbated her fury. Her face turned to a fountain of sludge as she screamed at Cathleen. "MURDERER!"

Frisk felt a chill run down his spine. Who had Cathleen killed? This much anger couldn't have been over the death of a stranger; it was personal… who had died?

Cathleen raised her hand, and the surviving terrorists rallied to her side. Meanwhile, Frisk looked around and tried to get some answers. Surely, someone else had to have seen what had happened. His eyes fixed on Asgore, who knelt with tears dripping down his face. Frisk's mouth went agape.

_Don't tell me…_

He felt someone brush his shoulder. It was Nate, giving him a mournful look. "Frisk, I'm sorry."

"Wh-what happened?"

"… they got Toriel."

… _they… got Toriel?_

Frisk felt like he was going to vomit. Toriel… Toriel was dead? Frisk shook his head. "No, she can't…" He sobbed. "Sh-she can't…" He fell to his knees and clawed into his head. Tears poured down his face. Toriel was dead… Toriel was dead. Why? Why did she have to die? _Why?!_

As he sniffled and wailed, Frisk somehow managed to collect himself enough to stand again. His teary eyes turned to Cathleen, and he walked towards her. "Why did you kill her?!"

For just a moment, Cathleen showed nervousness in her eyes; the eyes of someone afraid that she might screw up something incredibly important. She took a deep breath, and that fear disappeared, replaced by the stony expression of a confident ruler. Her voice projected across the entire hall. "Ever since life has drawn breath, we have all accepted death as our unavoidable end! We may fear it, we may try to delay it, but death comes for us all! Yet, despite the inevitability of it, we all strive to live our lives to the fullest, and we all consider murder to be the worst crime one can commit! I know what you are thinking. How can we possibly justify all the lives we have taken today?

"The answer is simple! For an ascendant demon, life and death are merely states of being! If we succeed in our mission, we will have the power to bring back anyone who has died! All the lives we have taken - all the loved ones you have lost - will be returned!

"And we will not stop there! Disease, famine, war, age, whatever the cause may be, far too many lives are constantly being lost unfairly, but that can be changed! Who wouldn't want to live in a world where you can live as long as you please? Where you don't have to fear time's cruel passage slowly ticking its way towards your end? Why continue to accept this reality when it can so easily be rewritten?

"Unfortunately, the World Government will never surrender their power to a demon. They will silence any who dare cry for change! And so, I have decided, by order of the Garnet Chieftain, Cathleen Remire, the Demons of Garnet hereby declare war on the World Government! With our power, we _will_ change the world! A world where the innocent will never die again!"

As Cathleen's allies cheered passionately, Frisk stared at them in shock. A world… where the innocent will never die again? What would that be like? It sounded too good to be true, which meant that it probably was. Could they really trust Cathleen?

Either way, she was right about one thing. The power of Ascension was the only way to bring Toriel back…

" _You idiot!_ " Chara screamed. " _You don't deserve power! You don't deserve to be in control! I will not rest until I kill you as you have killed Mother!_ "

Cathleen huffed. "You are truly content with the way things are? You may defy me, yet you are awfully submissive to fate. Where's your will to change things for the better?"

" _The world will be better when you are gone!_ " Chara screeched.

Cathleen chuckled. "This is exactly what I am talking about. No one should have to suffer this pain."

Chara hissed venomously. "Frisk, cancel this damn spell! Kill Cathleen at once!"

Frisk hesitated. Was that a good idea? Once his Ceasefire ended, more people could die. He didn't want to lose anyone else, but in a few minutes, the spell was going to expire anyway. Maybe there wasn't much point in delaying the fight any longer… why were they all grouped up in the open?

"We will withdraw, for now," Cathleen suddenly announced.

" _You are not getting away!"_ Chara yelled. " _Do it, Frisk!_ "

Frisk trembled in fear. He didn't know why the enemy was bunched up, but they were vulnerable, weren't they? He cancelled his Ceasefire spell. The moment he did, a bright light flashed in center of the enemy's position. Someone had teleported in.

It was Alpin.

" _You!_ " Chara shouted. " _I should have known you were involved!_ "

"Now, Professor!" Cathleen cried.

Another bright light glowed over the entire group of terrorists. Chara screamed and launched another barrage of knives, but it was too late. The enemy teleported away.

" _To flee is futile!_ " Chara yelled. " _You have spilled the blood and dust of countless innocents, including my own mother! That crime will never be erased! I will hunt you down and kill every last one of you wicked creatures!_ "

With Cathleen and her followers gone, Chara no longer had an outlet for her rage. All that remained was sorrow. After a few moments, Chara fell to her knees and sobbed. Her tears poured down onto the floor. "M-Mother..."

Shedding just as many tears, Asgore and Asriel cried with her, and Frisk joined them as well. They had no words for the tragedy that had just occurred. Toriel was really gone… how could they accept that?

Chara's heart-wrenching wails were difficult to bear, but Frisk knew there was nothing he could do. He could tell her that Toriel would want her to move on, that she would want her children to be happy without her, but that wouldn't ease her pain. Their grief was something that had to run its course, and their scars would never fully heal. Nothing Frisk could say would change the fact that the world was a bleaker place without Toriel.

It shouldn't have happened.

Frisk felt someone standing behind him; it was Atami. Her face was obscured beneath her hood, but Frisk could see a deep frown. She whimpered. "I… I'm s-sorry."

It wasn't a condolence; it was an apology, the kind that did not expect forgiveness.

Atami sniffled. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm s-so sorry…"

Frisk held her shoulder. "Hey, it's not your fault."

Atami shook her head. "I sh-shouldn't have come. If I h-hadn't, you c-could have stayed out of th-this."

… honesty, Frisk found it difficult to argue. She wasn't exactly wrong. They had wanted to avoid this conflict. If Atami and Undyne hadn't rushed in, they wouldn't have followed, and Toriel would still be alive. Atami could have prevented that.

Still, Atami's share of the blame was small compared to Cathleen, and Gaster was the one who had forced them into the battle. Frisk couldn't be mad at her for it. "You did want you wanted," he said. "The only one who forced us into anything was Gaster. Don't blame yourself for what he did."

"… I will kill Cathleen," Atami said. "No matter what it takes."

Frisk felt exhausted. He laid on the floor and stared up into the ceiling. His thoughts were of the first monster who had shown him kindness. It wasn't fair. Toriel didn't deserve to die like that. She may have lived much longer than any human, but Frisk didn't want her to go yet. And he knew that Toriel's children weren't ready to say goodbye, either.

Frisk couldn't accept this fate.

_If we have the power to bring her back…_

_Shouldn't we?_

* * *

" **People die when they are killed."**

 **\- Shirou Emiya,** _**Fate/Stay Night** _


	4. The Weight of Failure

In a pristine white room, Frisk sat at a long conference table. Others present included Gaster, Sans, Chara, Asriel, Asgore, Undyne, Alphys, Mettaton, Napstablook, Mad Mew Mew, Atami, Tevis, Felicia, Elodie, and - most importantly - Dacuel. There were dark shadows underneath Dacuel's red eyes, and he rocked restlessly in his chair. He looked as bad as Frisk felt, and it was no secret why.

Dacuel had revealed the origin of Cathleen and her followers, the 'Demons of Garnet.' Every one of them had died over two-thousand-years ago in a massacre perpetrated by the Human Alliance - a precursor to the World Government - in the name of defending humanity. They had been among the first victims of the Human-Monster War. Chara's breaths were erratic as Dacuel told the gruesome story; Frisk could see her repressed hatred of humanity boil beneath her skin. He couldn't blame her. It was not a tale anyone was happy with.

"So, yeah," Dacuel said. "We should all be in the ground now, but then Teach came along."

Chara blinked. "Teach?"

Dacuel nodded. "Yeah, Professor Alpin. He's the one who resurrected us, gave us shiny new souls and everything. Pretty crazy, huh?"

Well, that's what Gaster had said would happen. They knew that Cade had seduced Alpin with the promise of power, so when he died, it was only natural that Alpin would raise more demons to succeed where Cade had failed. It had only been a matter of time, and here it was.

"We all freaked out when it happened," Dacuel said. "Even Ev who had totally called it. After all, it's not every day that you turn into Michael the Tormentor."

"Wait, he was a demon?" Chara asked.

"Well, according to Ev, he was," Dacuel said. "Don't worry about it. Point is, we all lost our minds, especially Cath. Most of us never dreamed that coming back from the dead was possible. It took a long time to convince Cath that she wasn't locked in some fever dream ticking away the milliseconds before her dying brain passed on. That was a more rational explanation than the truth, honestly. How could we be expected to believe what happened to us was real? It went against all common sense we had known our whole lives. It certainly wasn't easy to accept." His tone grew dark. "However, once Teach got through to her, everything changed."

Dacuel was quiet for a while. Frisk gave him a gentle look. "If you need to stop…"

He shook his head. "No, I'm fine. Cath… Cathleen had always said that no matter what happens, we need to face reality. Before the war, there was another attack, one that had cost Cathleen her mother. Although grief weighed heavily on her heart, Cathleen knew that all the magic in the world wouldn't bring her back. Not even the Great Seven had the power to return a departed spirit to the living.

"Or so we thought. Once Cathleen accepted that _she_ had been resurrected, death lost all meaning to her. Death is terrifying because it's final. Take that away, and can you blame her for treating it lightly? In her mind -"

"Death has no consequences," Chara finished.

Dacuel nodded. "That's why she's able to kill without remorse. She's not a _bad person._ She's just… she thinks she has to do this for the greater good, but her methods require too much bloodshed. That's not something the world can get behind. The power she wants _will_ come at a cost. I'm afraid that by the time she reaches her goal, there'll be nothing left of her true self."

Frisk wondered about that. He was only LV 2, but were the effects of LOVE really so hard to resist? Even when he was soulless, he didn't think he would have gone around making people suffer for fun. How would he have acted if he were soulless and had infinite power? "You don't think she can control it?" Frisk asked.

"Not a chance," Dacuel said. "I don't know why everyone's so convinced that she can. Sure, she may revive everyone she killed, but it's no good if she loses her soul in the process. Do you really want a being with no sense of compassion in charge of the universe? I'll pass, thank you."

Speaking of beings with no sense of compassion, Gaster spoke up. "You have made a wise decision. It is almost a shame that the rest of your kin have been blinded by Remire's lust for power."

"' _Almost?!_ '" Chara snapped.

"Their souls will be a necessary sacrifice," Gaster said. "We should be grateful for the bounty that Alpin has so kindly provided for us."

Frisk gaped at him, unable to believe what he had just heard. How could anyone be so insensitive? Didn't he realize that…?

"My mother is _dead!_ " Chara screamed. "She died because of your war, and you're telling me I should be grateful?!"

Dacuel scowled. "Yeah, don't appreciate you talking about my friends like they're vegetables to be harvested."

"Their lives are nothing compared to the needs of all," Gaster said. "If a demon such as Remire emerges victorious, an eternity of suffering awaits the entire universe. They would bring a fate worse than destruction, for everyone would wish they had the ability to die. I would raze thousands of your villages to ensure that does not happen."

"… uh, yeah," Dacuel said. "Hey, someone remind me why we're working with the evil scientist again?"

Chara glared hatefully at Gaster. "First Cathleen, then you."

Gaster hummed. "Were it so easy."

Although Frisk had no intention of defending Gaster, he decided that they had more pressing matters to worry about. He motioned to get the conversation back on track. "Dacuel, are you really the only one against Cathleen's plan?"

Dacuel hesitated. "No matter how hard I tried, no one would listen to me. Elara, Seth, Syleth… Ev, they all believe in Cathleen, and nothing I say will change their minds. The promise of saving everyone who didn't come back is too tempting for them to resist; they don't understand the cost. We can't let them win. I… I have no choice but to fight them." A tear trickled down his cheek. "I tried to kill Cath… I shot El… I might have to…"

Dacuel fell silent, grimly staring down into space. Frisk couldn't imagine how he felt. Dacuel had chosen to stand against everyone he loved to fight for what he believed in. Only a truly strong person could have done that. It was amazing that he was able to speak to them at all. If he were in Dacuel's position, would Frisk be able to carry himself so well?

Chara frowned. "Hey, you don't have to continue, really."

Dacuel wiped his eyes. "N-no, there's no time for tears. We have to stop them. I'll tell you everything I know."

He told them all he could about every single member of Cathleen's army. A lot of it confirmed what they had already suspected. Elara was their most powerful mage with an affinity for dark magic, and that pool of tar she had conjured was her Special Attack, Field of Despair. Cathleen's Special Ability was - as they had thought - Resurrection, which allowed her to revive anyone as long as the target's soul was intact.

The bird guy was actually two people fused together, a human named Everette and a boss monster named Syleth. Apparently, Syleth's essence had seeped into Everette's remains after death, and while reviving Everette, Alpin had unwittingly replicated Alphys's experiment that had created Flowey. It had worked out for them though, since Syleth was - according to Dacuel - much more violent than Everette. Dacuel had no doubt that it was Syleth who took control during battles. Dacuel also mentioned that they had high resistance to all elements of magic except dark, and they were also vulnerable to physical attacks. Unfortunately, Dacuel didn't know if they had a Special Ability.

In total, there had been forty-two of them. Twelve had been killed in the last battle, bringing it down to thirty. Had they been a normal army, the idea of such a tiny force declaring war on the World Government would be laughable, but they were demons. Every one of them was a deadly threat skilled with all sorts of weapons and magic, and some were already LV 10. They may have sounded terrifying to anyone who knew that the maximum level was twenty, but it was actually only about 1.2% of the 99,999 EXP needed. Still, who knew what kind of demon powers they had unlocked? And on top of that, one of them was World Master. Frisk honestly didn't know if they could be stopped at this point.

Once he finished briefing them on the last enemy, Dacuel sighed deeply. "And there you have it. Hope ratting out my friends will be worth something."

Gaster stared at Dacuel intently. "A question, if I may. Accessing the current situation, what do you believe the enemy's next course of action will be?"

Dacuel smiled wryly. "Something tells me you already know the answer. The souls of the twelve fallen demons were captured by the Military Police for study. If those souls end up in your holey hands, you can use them to power the Editor. Teach knows what that machine is capable of. Taking it out will now be their top priority."

Gaster nodded. "Indeed. The enemy's next objective will be the Editor in this very laboratory. We must defend it at all costs."

They were going to invade Gaster's laboratory? So that was why he had gathered everyone there, but… "How can you be so sure?" Frisk asked. "What's stopping them from just killing more people?"

"As you know," Gaster said, "Alpin and I had formed a partnership before Felwinter had swayed him. We had worked together to develop the Editor. He knows that we need demon souls to power it. Furthermore, due to the nature of WISH, we both know that those twelve souls would be the end of this war."

"They are worth more?" Chara asked.

"WISH," Sans said, "is a measure of hope restored by defeating a demon. The more despair a demon has caused, the more WISH they will be worth. Since Cade's true nature was only known by you and a few others, the amount of WISH he was worth was small. These demons, however, just shot up an airport, and now the whole world is afraid of them. Their value will be much higher than Cade."

"How much are we talking?" Asriel asked.

"A precise estimate would be difficult," Gaster said, "but it will certainly be enough to eliminate the additional DT a demon acquires with increased LOVE, which may result in the power of the World Master returning to Frisk, assuming he is still alive of course. It is also probable that we will have enough remaining WISH to remove other abilities as well, bringing demons much closer to the power level of ordinary humans. I presume you now see why the enemy will desire to prevent that?"

Frisk's stomach clenched. Even if he became World Master again, he wouldn't be able to reset back to before Cathleen's attack. His save file had been destroyed when he had turned into a demon. Chara, however, still had her file. If she got the reset power back, she could undo what Cathleen had done, but without the determination bonus for demons, where would Chara rank?

Sadly, probably not high enough. She had never been World Master without her bonus DT; there was no reason that would change now. Get rid of it, and Frisk himself might become the most determined being again. If he died, Felicia was likely second in line, or perhaps Asriel. His DT hadn't changed since he had been Flowey. After that, who knew? It was also entirely possible that in the time since Frisk had died, the next natural World Master had come of age and would have replaced Frisk already if it weren't for Chara. Taking everything into account, the chances of undoing Cathleen's actions were painfully slim.

Frisk returned his gaze to Gaster. If the Editor was so important, there was one thing he did not understand. "Why us? Why not have the Military Police defend your precious machine?"

"That should be obvious," Gaster chided. "You must know that the Editor has to be kept secret from the Government. If they learn of its existence, they will take control of it for themselves. We cannot ask for their assistance."

"What about _your_ assistance?" Chara asked. "Perhaps you could actually do something for once?"

"Why, Chara," Gaster said, "I did not realize you were volunteering to sacrifice yourself to Alpin's overwhelming power. I had thought that you would wish to avoid certain death, but if you are willing to surrender yourself and everyone's lives for the greater good, I will not stop you."

"Sure," Sans said, "the boss man _could_ fight, but what do you think happens when two forces reinforce their weaker troops with their elite troops? Do the strong battle the strong while the weak battle the weak? No, the strong fighters will destroy the weaklings. Why would the powerful soldiers risk their lives fighting enemies on their level when they could easily obliterate the weaker ones? They wouldn't, so by staying out of the fight Gaster and Alpin are avoiding unnecessary escalation. It's for your own protection."

Chara gave Sans a venomous look. "You don't condone what Gaster has done, do you?"

Sans said nothing, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking behind the unchanging smile of his skull. It was the ultimate poker face. Knowing how much he had cared for Toriel, Frisk couldn't imagine how Sans could have possibly been happy with Gaster. He had to have been angry with him, right?

"Yeah, what the fuck?" Undyne asked. "Did you know about this, Sans?" While Sans remained silent, Undyne projected her voice across the room. "Just so we're all on the same page, can we all agree that Gaster sucks?"

A wave of nods and agreements echoed though the room.

"He knew what he was doing," Asgore said. "He knew that if he sent at least one willing fighter, he could manipulate us all to follow. When this is over, I swear that he will be punished."

"I don't doubt it," Gaster said, "but let us focus on the battle at hand for now. We have determined that the reservoir outside the inner lab will be the best chokepoint. Dr. Alphys, would you give a rundown of the defenses you have prepared?"

"Y-yes," Alphys said. "We have installed eight Bastion turrets in the Reservoir Chamber as well as an electric field. We've also prepared a grid of blue lasers blocking the chasm. If we stay behind the barricades on our side of the water, we should be able to hold them off no problem."

"Good," Gaster said, "and even if they get past those defenses, there will be another surprise waiting for them."

"Which is?" Undyne asked.

Chara nodded. "Yes, of course."

"I don't know what you're talking about?" Undyne said, a little annoyed.

"When the enemy attacks," Gaster said, "the entrance to the inner lab will be sealed with a powerful spell. Anyone who tries to enter will be taken to another realm, guarded by my followers. Those unfortunate enough to set foot in there will - as Sans would say - have a very bad time."

"Another realm?" Undyne asked.

"WWVzLCB0aGUgUmVkYWN0ZWQgUmVhbG0sIHRoZSBwbGFjZSB3aGVyZSAt" Gaster cleared his throat. "No need to concern yourself with the details. Just hold the line with all your strength."

Felicia slammed her hands on the table. "Quit fucking with us! If you're going to make us fight, the least you can do is tell us what's going on!"

"I know what it is," Chara said. "Anyone who tries to enter the inner lab will have to battle the Redacted, correct?"

"Yes, that thing you just said," Gaster answered.

"Umm, who's that?" Elodie asked.

"I've met them," Chara said. "The most notable would be Grandpa Semi, a nice old skeleton who has a penchant for chainsaws and an insatiable thirst for demon souls. He'll be sure to give Cathleen a warm welcome."

"I… I see," Elodie said.

The room fell silent for a few moments. There was still an important topic they had yet to discuss. Who would be first to address the elephant in the room?

"… they have the resets," Frisk said.

"Is victory even possible?" Chara asked grimly.

"Can't we just shoot them with one of those anti-save beams?" Undyne asked.

"In theory, yes," Gaster said. "However, I highly doubt the enemy would be foolish enough to expose their World Master. They will certainly send their other troops while the World Master - whoever it is - remains hidden."

"… then how do we win?" Elodie asked.

Felicia clenched her fist. "We break them."

That was the only way, wasn't it? If they couldn't stop the resets, their only option was to give the enemy such a bad time that they lost the will to continue. They had to torture them to death.

"Will they even remember?" Elodie asked. "Only people who were World Master at some point can remember resets, right? I don't imagine they had time to pass it around."

"Fear not, I will take care of that," Gaster said.

"Did I hear that correctly?" Chara asked. "You are actually going to do something useful for once? Shame you couldn't be more help _before_ my mother died."

Gaster shrugged off Chara's comment with a nod. "Is everyone clear on our objective? I shall begin negotiations with the World Government for the souls they have captured. Naturally, they may be reluctant to part with them, especially knowing that Remire has the power of Resurrection, but I will find a way. In the meantime, I suggest you all prepare for the imminent assault on this facility. Chieftain Remire's plan cannot be allowed to succeed. We must stop her at all costs. Fight well."

With that, Gaster vanished in a cloud of dark energy. Everyone who remained got out of their seats and wearily exited the room, shambling like walking corpses. The feeling of dread in the air was palpable. So many had already died, _Toriel_ had died, and someone among the enemy was the World Master. In this situation, how could anyone hold on to their hope?

Frisk walked with Chara and Asriel out into the Reservoir Chamber, the room they had to defend. There were steel barricades set up on their side of the water, and the bridge had been retracted to impede the enemy's advance. Chara stopped by the water and stared into it with a stoic expression, and Asriel wore a somber frown. Frisk had no idea what to do. Should he try to console them somehow, or was it best to leave them alone?

Before Frisk could act, he heard a banging sound behind them. He turned his head back. It was Undyne. She was in her Royal Guard armor, slamming her fist into the wall. Frisk walked over to her. Undyne punched harder and spoke without facing him. "Why the hell did this happen? Why did Toriel have to die?"

"… that's just how it goes," Frisk said. "Sometimes bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people; things aren't always fair."

Undyne stopped punching the wall. "Yeah. It's messed up, but it's true. The world isn't going to enforce justice on its own; we have to make it ourselves."

Frisk nodded, and Undyne kept speaking. "Still, it really sucks what happened. I said some shit to her before she died. I thought she was a coward for abandoning the Kingdom, but she showed me how wrong I was. She gave her life so her child would live. That takes guts. Really wish I could make things up to her, but it's too late for that, huh?"

"Hmm…" Frisk frowned. "We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. It happened so fast; I hadn't even seen it. She's just… gone."

"That's the reality of war," Chara said. "The battlefield cares not for theatrics or ceremony, and the enemy will not hesitate to destroy us. Our tears are worthless."

"Maybe," Undyne said, "but I'm sure you're itching for some revenge, yeah?"

"Absolutely," Chara said.

Revenge, huh? Although Chara would tear Frisk apart if he said it out loud, he couldn't bring himself to hate Cathleen. If she had actually killed Toriel with the intention of keeping her dead, it would have been a different story, but the reality wasn't so simple. Cathleen wanted to save everyone. If she got her way, all the lives she had taken would be returned. Everyone in the airport, Toriel, it would be like none of it ever happened.

… _why are we resisting, again?_

Asriel shook his head. "No, that's not me. I won't fight out of hatred or a need for revenge. I'll fight for what I believe in. The power that Cathleen wants… this is the power that Chara and Frisk fought so hard to stop. I'll do my part to defeat her."

A new voice entered the conversation. "Good, good. We must all work together to overcome this villain." It was Mettaton, in his original box shape. The yellow lights on his screen were arranged in the shape of a flat, somber face. Frisk observed that he wasn't his usual bombastic self. Even his spirits were down over their situation. Napstablook, Mad Mew Mew, and Alphys were also with him. Toriel's death had united all of them in the fight against Cathleen.

How convenient.

Chara eyed Mettaton expectantly. "You will be joining us?"

"Of course," Mettaton said. "Once I heard that Alphys was getting involved, there was no way I could not join the fray myself. Anyone capable of creating this body must be protected."

"O-oh, uh, thanks?" Alphys said. "I mean, you don't have to do it for me. You don't owe me -"

"Well, my motives are not _entirely_ selfless," Mettaton said. "Do you really think I will allow the rest of you to hog the spotlight while the fate of the world is at stake? If I defeat Cathleen, then surely my name will forever be immortalized in history! The passion of my audience will soar to even greater heights! Fear not my viewers, for I will avenge the Underground's queen!"

_Okay, maybe he's not_ that _broken-up about it,_ Frisk thought.

"That's right!" Mettaton exclaimed. "Just wait until Cathleen beholds the power of NEO! No doubt she will tremble before my -"

"No!" Chara said. "Do _not_ use NEO!"

A question mark lit up in Mettaton's screen. "Don't use NEO? Why not? What better to destroy our enemies than my human eradication -"

"Because your current form is _far_ more durable," Chara said. "Normally, your metal body is capable of deflecting bullets, but a high-level demon will effortlessly tear NEO to shreds. You should use the form that offers greater protection."

"T-to shreds, you say?!" Mettaton stammered. "But NEO has much more offensive capability! Is it not worth sacrificing a little defense for -"

"Listen," Chara said. "I have a Bachelor's Degree in Magical Engineering, so I know what I am talking about. You use NEO, and they will gun you down long before you can charge that cannon. You are much more suited to a defensive role."

"Y-you cannot be serious!" Mettaton protested. "The star of the show _must_ be the one on the attack! No one wants to watch the supporting roles! They want action! Drama! Bloodshed! I must…!"

"What are you talking about?" Asriel said. "You have the most important job of all. You're going to be our tank."

"Tank?" Mettaton asked. "I don't follow. I'm a robot, not a tank."

"The tank's role is to steal the enemy's attention," Asriel said. "A good tank must always be in the spotlight, saving their allies by soaking up as much damage as possible. All eyes will be on you, watching as you shrug off every attack like it's nothing. Everyone will love you."

"The… spotlight?" Mettaton asked. "If I fulfill this 'tank' role, I will be in the spotlight?"

"Yep," Asriel said.

"Why didn't you say so?!" Mettaton exclaimed. "In that case I _will_ use my original form! Friend and foe alike will be awestruck by my radiance as I stand firm in the face of danger! Just leave it to me!"

Frisk smiled. _Hmph, child's play._

"Thank God," Chara muttered.

"But I must ask," Mettaton said, "you mentioned that this battle will be a firefight, did you not? Will you be in need of an expanded arsenal? They _do_ say not to bring a knife to a gunfight."

Chara blushed. "A gun? I suppose that would be pragmatic, but I have little experience with such weapons."

"Then why not get some?" Mettaton asked. "They set up a firing range in the inner lab. You should prepare yourself before it's too late."

"That… would be wise," Chara said. "Very well, I shall begin practicing immediately."

"Splendid!" Mettaton said. "I'll show you to the range!" He glanced at Frisk and Asriel. "Will you two be joining us as well?"

"I have no reason not to," Frisk said.

"Okay," Asriel said, "but let me change into my war attire first."

Mettaton emitted an electronic squeal. "Oh! Getting fancy, are we? I can't wait to see it, darling!"

"Yeah, sure," Asriel muttered. "I know where it is. I'll meet you there."

While Asriel walked away, Frisk wondered what exactly he meant by 'war attire.' Except for Undyne, the rest of them were dressed normally, more or less, relying on charms to boost their stats rather than full suits of physical armor. Chara, of course, still had her heart locket, and Frisk was wearing a mouse token necklace that enhanced his defense as well as his magical damage. He didn't know what Asriel was going to bring, but as a member of the Dreemurr royal family, he must have had some powerful equipment tucked away. Frisk supposed he would see soon enough.

Frisk followed Mettaton and Chara deeper inside the lab and arrived at the firing range. There were several lanes each with a silhouette target, with scoring zones from seven to ten, and there was a rack of filled with various guns at the edge of the range. Mettaton led them to it. "Here we are! Take whatever you like!"

Chara pursed her lips as she examined the firearms. Her hand brushed against an assault rifle, a shotgun, a grenade launcher, a KARMA blaster… she pulled out a 9mm pistol and stared at it. "You wouldn't happen to have a gun that shoots knives, would you?"

"Nope!" Mettaton chirped.

Chara sighed and took the pistol to one of the lanes. She extended her arm as far as she could and aimed the gun with only her left hand. She pulled the trigger, but nothing happened.

"… uh, you know you have to load it first, right?" Mettaton asked.

Chara's eyes widened as she noticed the empty magazine well on the bottom of her pistol. "I… I knew that." She went back to the weapons rack and grabbed a magazine. She tried to put it in, but it didn't fit. She growled. "Why won't it…?"

"Those are .45's, darling," Mettaton said. "This is a 9mm."

"… right," Chara said. She checked the rack more carefully and retrieved a 9mm magazine. She fumbled a bit, but she managed to get it in the slot. Once it clicked into place, Chara went back to the lane and aimed like before.

"Now you need to undo the safety," Mettaton said. "And cock it, too."

Chara nodded nervously. "Y-yes, just like in Underwatch." After a few seconds, she was able to switch the safety off and pull back the slide. Frisk was impressed; he had half-expected her to press the magazine release instead. Chara's stance, however, scared him. She was still holding it one-handed and reaching out as far as she could. There was no way she was going to control the recoil like that. Frisk had to stop her before she got herself or someone else hurt. He hastily moved to her and grabbed her shoulders. "Hold on, it's not a duel. Use both hands."

Her arms trembled. "O-oh, like this?" Chara moved her right hand to the top of the gun and pressed down on it. Was she serious?! Frisk barely contained an agonized groan. "No, you're not a cowboy. Both hands around the handle."

"Oh, oh! That makes sense!" Chara did as Frisk told and finally got into a decent position. Bringing the sights to her right eye, she aimed her gun at the target direction and pulled the trigger. The recoil made her gasp as the pistol violently jerked upright. The bullet completely missed the target, lodging into the wall a far distance to its left. "D-did I hit it?" Chara asked.

"Umm, not quite," Mettaton said. "A little more to the right."

Chara fired again, but she overcorrected and shot the wall on the opposite end. Growling, Chara unloaded her entire magazine. A single bullet landed just outside the seven zone while the rest surrounded the target with bullet holes. Chara's face fumed red. "What the hell?"

"Practice makes perfect!" Mettaton said.

Chara furiously tried to rip the magazine out of the well. Frisk held her hand and pointed to the magazine release. "You have to push that."

Even though Frisk had pointed it out, Chara struggled to spot it because it was obscured by her left hand. In her defense, the design _was_ optimized for right-handed shooting, so it was a little awkward for left-handed shooters. Chara eventually found it and used her index finger to push it, and the magazine dropped to the floor. Chara retrieved another clip and reloaded the pistol, and she fired again. Only a single bullet hit the outermost rim. She whimpered. "Why am I so bad at this?"

Frisk frowned. "Hey, you're just inexperienced. You'll get better."

She clumsily reloaded and tried again. About half of her shots hit the seven and eight zones; the rest went wide. It was better, but Chara's twitching eyebrows made it clear that she was not satisfied. She loaded another magazine, and she landed less than half her shots. She stomped her feet on the ground in rage. " _What the hell?!_ "

"Just stay calm," Frisk said. "You can't aim if you don't steady your nerves."

Breathing roughly, Chara turned to look at him with desperate eyes. "Can you show me how it's done?"

"Ah, yes!" Mettaton said. "Let's give Frisk a chance to shine!"

Chara handed him the gun. Frisk took it. He loaded a new magazine and held it with his left hand on the trigger and his right hand supporting. He brought the sights to his left eye and aimed at the target. Frisk wondered what would be best for Chara. _Should I hold back? If I come in and destroy this target while she's struggling to hit it, won't that demoralize her? Would it comfort her if she thinks I'm in the same boat as her? Then again… no, there's no way she'll fall for it. I should just be honest. I won't hold back._

Frisk rapidly fired the pistol, and every shot hit the bullseye.

For several moments, Chara stared blankly at the punctured target. She frowned darkly, but she didn't look surprised. "Of course," she muttered. "Any merit I have pales beside yours. I would expect nothing less."

Frisk felt a pit in his stomach. Had he made the wrong choice? He tried to console her. "Hey, you know I was bad at first, too. You were there."

He had learned how to shoot while fighting Mettaton. In that battle, he had needed to use the energy gun that Alphys had installed in his phone. At first, he had struggled to aim as much as Chara, but Mettaton's attacks had forced him to improve. It had been tough to blast those clones of his out of the air. He had died more than once, but he got better with every reset. Chara had seen it all, so she should have known that Frisk's skill hadn't come out of nowhere. Like Mettaton had said, it took practice.

"No matter how hard I try," Chara said dejectedly, "there is no way I will ever come close to your level. You are clearly more suited to avenge Mother than I am."

"Come on, you know that's not true," Frisk said. "Sure, maybe I'm better with guns than you, but there's plenty of other things you're good at. You're a much better mage than I am, and I'd never dream of getting in a knife fight with you. It's okay to have weaknesses."

"As much as I love knives," Chara said, "you cannot deny the practicality of a firearm. The enemy has the World Master on their side. We need to win every time, but they need only prevail once. They will adapt to every obstacle they face, and we must adapt in turn. We cannot afford the luxury to use whatever weapon we please. My vain obsession with blades will surely be the death of us all."

Frisk pursed his lips. Why was Chara being so hard on herself? Maybe… did she blame herself for Toriel's death? Frisk had heard that Toriel had died saving Chara. Cathleen had been moments away from killing her, so Toriel had rushed in to protect her. Yes, of course Chara would blame herself for that. How could Frisk convince her that it wasn't her fault? Well, technically, Chara wasn't _entirely_ wrong. If she had been more powerful, perhaps she _could_ have saved Toriel. However…

"You're not the only one responsible," Frisk said. "Cathleen and her allies got the better of all of us. We all lost together. It's not just you. Don't shoulder all the blame on yourself."

"I…" Chara's crimson eyes turned watery. She shut them tight, but tears still dripped down her face. Painful sobs escaped from her lips. "Was there anything I could have done? If I'd realized what Cathleen was sooner, I could have avoided this. I..."

Frisk frowned. He didn't know what to tell her, because he felt the same way. Toriel's death was absolutely unacceptable, and there had to have been something they could have done to prevent it. Where had they gone wrong? Maybe if Frisk had paid more attention, he could have cast Ceasefire before Toriel had died, or maybe he should have just cast it as soon as Gaster had teleported them. Cathleen and her allies would have gotten away, but at least no one else would have been hurt.

In fact, he _had_ considered it. He had been _very_ tempted to use Ceasefire right away, but the truth was that he had wanted to stop Cathleen. As he had watched those demons slaughter all those innocent people, Frisk knew that he couldn't let them get away to kill more. Although he hadn't known what would happen, he had chosen the lives of strangers over Toriel. He _could_ have saved her, but he had chosen not to. Had he made the right choice?

Was he any better than Gaster?

Suddenly, a voice called from behind. "Maybe you could have."

Frisk and Chara turned to face Sans as he approached. He had his hands tucked into the pockets of his blue jacket, and he spoke with an unusually serious tone. "Sure, if you still had your reset powers, maybe you could go back and save Toriel. I won't say there was nothing we should have done differently, nothing we could have done to save her, but giving up doesn't suit either of you. Even if you have regrets, even if you are remorseful, you must stand and fight. Don't give up for one second, or one instant. Think only of the victory within your sight. If your fingers still move, if you can still draw breath, then fight with everything you have."

Chara gasped, tears still flowing down her face. "H-heh, you shouldn't have to remind me that."

Sans winked. "Happens to the best of us."

Sniffing, Chara ran into Sans and grasped him tightly while she cried into his shoulder. Despite the situation, Frisk felt a twinge of jealously, but what mattered most was that Chara was feeling better. If there was anything Chara needed from him, he'd be there. He would do anything he could to ease her pain.

"After all," Sans said, "how can we lose when we've got Stormtrooper Chara on our side?"

Upon hearing that, Chara immediately broke the hug and shoved Sans away. "Fuck you!"

A moment later, they both laughed. Her eyes still wet, Chara looked at Frisk, and she hugged him as well. Frisk didn't feel like he deserved it, but he nevertheless wrapped his arms around her. Chara wiped her eyes as she clung to him. "I want her back," she whispered, "but that's not going to happen, is it? The best I can hope for is revenge, or - failing that - an honorable death."

"Don't die," Frisk said.

"… then you're only leaving me with one option," Chara said. "All right." She took the empty pistol from Frisk's hands, reloaded it, and fired at the target. A couple bullets missed, but the rest hit the seven and eight zones. One shot even landed in the ten zone. Not perfect, but a considerable improvement.

"Ah, there you go," Mettaton said. "See? You can do better. And don't worry, I _totally_ wasn't recording that heart-touching scene to play it on my show later. I'm a robot with standards!"

Chara sniffled. "God damn it, Mettaton."

While Chara reloaded for another round, Asriel returned. "Okay, I'm ready."

Frisk turned to face him. Asriel had donned a fluffy pastel-green robe with a white heart in the center. On his neck was a dainty magenta scarf, and he wore a crown of golden flowers on his head. Frisk sensed an impressive amount of magic coming from the scarf and the flowers. No doubt they bolstered his defense and healing powers greatly. Frisk could see why he had chosen it.

Undyne also walked in, and she stared wide-eyed at Asriel. "Umm, that's 'war attire?'"

Chara nodded with approval. "Yes, this equipment will serve you well, Brother."

"Yeah," Frisk agreed. "I wouldn't want to mess with you dressed like that."

Asriel blushed. "Aww, thanks, guys."

Undyne stared at them like they were total lunatics. She took another look at Asriel's outfit and cringed. "I mean, isn't it a bit… feminine?"

Chara gaped in response to Undyne's comment. Her face blood-red, she clenched her teeth like she was about to scream at her, but she breathed deeply and spoke with a hiss of suppressed rage. "My brother can wear whatever he wants. Understood?"

Undyne blinked. "Uh, if you say so. I just want to make sure that..." She grabbed Asriel's scarf and looked closely. "IT'S MADE OF DOILIES!"

"Yeah," Asriel said. "What's wrong with that?"

"Are you really comfortable in this?" Undyne asked. "If people see you like this, they might think you're a girl."

"It's fine," Asirel said.

Undyne shrugged. "I mean, do whatever you want, I guess. Just making sure you're aware."

"Your concern is appreciated," Chara said venomously. "But in the future, may I suggest that you refrain from forcing your small-minded generalizations on my brother?"

"U-uh, sure," Undyne said.

_Oh, boy._ Undyne had no idea what minefield she had just walked out of. Chara could get extremely _passionate_ when it came to social issues. If they weren't in the middle of a war, her wrath would have been far worse. _You really dodged a bullet, Undyne._

"Well," Mettaton said, "I, for one, think Asriel looks absolutely stunning. Now, shall we practice for the battle ahead?"

"Ah, yeah," Asriel said. He glanced at the firing range and frowned. "You know… I think I'll just focus on healing."

"Oh," Chara said, a bit surprised. "Well, I suppose that be all right. The value of a skilled healer must not be underestimated."

"Right," Asriel said. "I'll help us win this… somehow."

Yeah, somehow. The plan was to give the enemy such a bad time that they broke their spirits and destroyed their motivation to keep fighting. It was the same fate that Felicia had suffered, so the concept wasn't impossible. Still, Cathleen was certainly the stubborn type. Did they really have the strength to stop her when she had resets on her side? If she had infinite patience, her victory seemed inevitable.

Only one way to find out.

* * *

**"Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise."**

**\- Obi-Wan Kenobi, _Star Wars_**


	5. Only Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to coincidencless at Fanfiction.net for editing
> 
> Ever since starting this series, I've been torn between two conflicting desires. One, to be taken seriously, and the other, to spam memes and Charisk trash. Frisk: God of the World was a product of both desires, while New Life veered more towards the latter.
> 
> But this one is all business.
> 
> … mostly.

_Holy shit._

It had hit him. He had figured it out. He knew how to beat Cathleen. It was so simple; how had he not thought of it sooner? If he were still Flowey, he would have realized it immediately, but his time as Asriel had made him soft. There was only one thing they had to do, one step to get the resets back. If they did it, they could go back and stop Cathleen before she made her move, and it was _so simple._

Chara just had to kill Sans.

From experience, Asriel knew how much EXP Sans was worth; fifty-thousand, enough to instantly take anyone to LV 19. At least, that was the value Sans had possessed back Underground. Considering his overwhelming popularity with the humans, that number had certainly gone even higher. At this point, Asriel wouldn't be surprised if killing Sans was an instant ticket to LV 20, because _of course_ it was. Freaking God skeleton...

In any case, that much EXP would easily allow Chara to regain control of the timeline. She could load her SAVE file, and they could undo everything Cathleen and her followers had done. Everyone who had died would be okay; Mom would be okay. In the end, no one would get hurt, except for the hostile demons, of course. Although letting Chara reach LV 19 _may_ be a _little_ risky, it would disappear as soon as she reset. After all, it wasn't _truly_ murder if he came back, right? What reason did they have not to do it?

… was this really okay? They could kill Sans knowing that they could reset, but wasn't that the same mentality that drove Cathleen? Was it okay to _temporarily_ murder someone for the greater good? It seemed like it would solve all their problems, but it just felt so… dirty, killing their own friend to win. That wasn't something that should have been the solution to anything. Don't kill, and don't be killed; that was the best one could strive for.

Oh, screw it, screw it! They _needed_ this. It was the only way to bring Mom back. Just off Smiley Trashbag, and everyone would be saved. Now, where was Chara?

Asriel went to the Reservoir Chamber. He found her sitting against the wall with her eyes closed. He nudged her shoulder, and she groggily looked at him. "H-huh? What?"

"Chara, I have an idea," Asriel said. "Come with me."

"Why…? Okay." Chara stood, and Asriel looked for a place they could talk in secret. He found that the meeting room was empty, so he led her in there.

"This should be good," Asriel said.

"Why the secrecy?" Chara asked. "What is this idea you speak of?"

"It's simple," Asriel answered. "We, uh, kill Sans."

Chara's red eyes popped. "Wait, what?"

"H-hear me out," Asriel stammered. "Sans is worth a _ton_ of EXP. If you kill him, you'll definitely be World Master again."

Chara cringed. "Even if that is true, do you not realize how repulsive this suggestion is? Should I kill Sans, then how would I be any better than our enemies? The ability to reset is no excuse to behave as one pleases. Reset or no reset, murder is murder."

_Reset or no reset…?_ Asriel scowled. "It's not like I _want_ to do this! But we have to! If we don't, Cathleen or whoever will just keep resetting until they win. Killing Sans is the only way to make sure that doesn't happen! We have no choice; we _need_ to do this!"

Chara scowled back. "Sounds like quitter's talk to me. Are you afraid?"

"N-no!" Asriel protested. "I'm not…"

This whole situation felt way too familiar… was he making a mistake? Yes, he had made it before, hadn't he? Last time, Asriel hadn't been honest with Chara or himself, and that had cost them both dearly. He couldn't make that mistake again; he needed to tell the truth.

"… yes," Asriel said. "Yes, I'm afraid! How could you not be?! These demons will just keep killing until they have the power to do anything, and everything - everyone - will be under their total control. We've gotta do whatever it takes to stop them. If I were Sans, I would let you kill me in a heartbeat, and I'm sure he'll agree. What are you waiting for?"

Chara paused. "You believe Sans will consent?"

"Of course!" Asriel said. "There's no way he'd let Cathleen win, especially after she killed Mom. Just ask him!"

Chara pursed her lips. "How much EXP is he worth, anyway?"

"At the very least, fifty-thousand, probably m -"

" _Fifty-thou…?!_ "

Asriel clamped her mouth shut and shushed her. "Quiet."

"How could anyone be worth fifty-thousand EXP?" Chara whispered.

Asriel shrugged. "Beats me, maybe it's because he was the Royal Judge or whatever. It doesn't matter. The point is, if you kill him, you can stop Cathleen… and save Mom."

Chara's face twisted with an agonized grimace. "You realize this goes against everything I stand for, do you not?"

"Don't think of it as murder!" Asriel said. "Think of it as _borrowing_ Sans's life, which you will return after resetting. Why is it so bad?"

Chara huffed. "Do not drive this conversation in circles. I told you, murder is murder. Taking a life is the gravest decision one can make, and that is the way it should be. Once executed, it is a choice that cannot be taken back. I have no forgiveness for any World Master who believes themselves to be above consequences, and I shall not become one of them."

Asriel shook his head. He couldn't believe just how far Chara was taking this ideal of hers. He had thought Frisk was the idealistic one, but Chara? How was this the same person who was willing to wipe out humanity to protect monsterkind? If she hated killing so much, then…

But it wasn't killing itself that she hated, was it? No, she just despised using resets as a means to avoid consequences. It felt like cheating to her, so much that…

"… it sounds like you want Mom to stay dead," Asriel muttered.

Chara whimpered. "Of course not, but…"

"Then do it," Asriel said. "It's the only way to save everyone."

"Is it, though?" Chara challenged. "What if it's not enough? What if I kill Sans, and I'm still not powerful enough to reset? His dust would be on my hands, with no way to undo his death. A fitting outcome, for a fool who believed she could control fate."

"But we _can_ change fate," Asriel said. "That's what having determination is all about. Sans _will_ give you the power you need, I promise. If I'm wrong, well, I'll gladly be the next volunteer. Not to sound arrogant, but I've gotta be worth something, right?"

Chara descended into silence. Perhaps appealing to the love of her family would only take her halfway. Then, Asriel knew what angle he had to press instead.

"Don't let Cathleen get away with what she did," Asriel said. "She needs to be punished, right? What better way to punish her than to tear away everything she's worked for?"

Chara averted her eyes. "Well…"

"What about Gaster?" Asriel asked. "He was counting on all of this to happen. Are you going to let him get away with that? Don't you want to give him what he deserves for pissing you off?"

Chara's hands twitched. "Gaster… he's responsible for all of this."

"Exactly," Asriel said. "Mom died because of Gaster and Cathleen. Why does _she_ deserve to die because of _their_ choices? She did nothing wrong, so why not bring her back? With a little help from Sans, you can save her _and_ make our enemies pay. It's an easy decision."

Asriel waited with bated breath before Chara finally spoke again. "It is true that Mother's death was no fault of her own," she said. "It was not the result of any choice - _fair_ choice - that she made, but the choices of others, and those responsible must pay. I do not like this plan, but if it will right these wrongs, then… it must be done."

Asriel's heart pounded. He had finally gotten through to her? "Really? You'll do it?"

Chara nodded. "However, I shall require Sans's support. We must respect his will as well."

If the situation weren't so morbid, Asriel would have grinned. He could hardly believe he had actually persuaded her. However, his burst of pride was mixed with a strange feeling; he had just convinced his sister to go kill someone. He realized the irony, as this was quite a reversal of past events. He never would have been able to do that before his experience as Flowey. He wouldn't have known how to get inside Chara's head like he had. Well, he could lose sleep over it later. Right now, all that mattered was saving Mom.

"Okay," Asriel said. "Let's go find Sans and -"

"I'm afraid that's entirely out of the question."

The last person Asriel wanted to see appeared, Gaster. Asriel clicked his tongue. Wasn't he supposed to be doing something? "How did you hear us?"

"Irrelevant," Gaster said. "I cannot allow you to return the timeline to the state it was before Remire attacked. If you attempt to harm Sans, I will be forced to destroy you."

"You think I give a shit want you want?!" Chara snapped. "Your empty threats do not scare me! I _will_ regain control of the timeline, and you cannot -"

"Yes, I anticipated it might come to this," Gaster said. "I dearly apologize for having to resort to such measures, but…" He cleared his throat. "S05FRUw="

The screams of Asriel and Chara reverberated throughout the room. Asriel felt like something was clawing at the inside of his skull. He and Chara knelt on the floor, powerless to resist. While they were down, Gaster summoned one of his blasters and aimed at Chara.

He fired.

Chara was enveloped completely by a white beam. Her skin was scorched deep red, and she collapsed facedown on the ground. What was Gaster doing?! Why would he…? Wait, was that blaster…?

**FILE ERASED**

Once the beam vanished, Gaster pointed the blaster at Asriel. "And just to be sure..."

A second beam struck Asriel; he squealed as he felt it burn his body.

**FILE ERASED**

With a flick of his wrist, Gaster made his blaster disappear while Chara and Asriel remained planted on the ground. "There," Gaster said. "Now there will be no temptation."

Asriel looked fearfully at his sibling. "Ch-Chara, are you okay?"

Chara whimpered. "I-I'll kill you…"

At least she was alive, but Gaster… Asriel grimaced. "Why?"

"Our goal is to harvest as much WISH as possible," Gaster said. "If the demons are stopped before they attack, their souls will be far less valuable. We must cultivate well before reaping."

"You're insane," Chara spat.

Cultivate…? Gaster wouldn't be satisfied until he squeezed every last drop of WISH the demons had, would he? Were there any lengths he wouldn't go to achieve that aim? He _was_ insane, and how…? " _How did you catch us?_ " Asriel asked.

"Is it not clear?" Gaster asked. "I anticipated that you might come up with this scheme, so I was prepared."

"Look who has everything figured out," Chara grumbled. "Always ten steps ahead of us. Does nothing ever surprise you?"

Gaster smiled smugly. "Well, after having your soul scattered across fourteen-million-six-hundred-and-five different realities, you learn a thing or two about predicting the future." He turned his back on them. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must attend to Felicia. I highly doubt she would be willing to load _her_ file, but caution is a virtue. After that, I shall return to some important business that you have interrupted. Farewell." He disappeared.

… had Asriel messed up? He had tried to be discreet, but despite his efforts, Gaster had erased their SAVE files. Felicia's file was next, and Frisk's file was already lost. There was nothing left. Where had he gone wrong? Was there anything he could have done to prevent this?

"… it's not your fault," Chara muttered.

"I..." Asriel frowned. "Sorry."

" _He_ is the one who should be," Chara hissed. "At every turn, he keeps finding more ways to screw us. I never should have dared suggest rescuing him."

"You couldn't have known what would happen," Asriel said.

Chara huffed. "Perhaps not, but _he_ apparently knows everything."

Of course, they both knew that wasn't true. No matter how many timelines Gaster had witnessed, there was no way he could have known every possible outcome. He had clearly laid out an unfathomably complex plan with contingency after contingency, accounting for more variables than Asriel could imagine. As someone who had experience more than his share of timeline manipulation, Asriel knew how predictable people could seem to beings such as Gaster. Whatever his plan was, he must have been convinced that it was foolproof, unbreakable.

But this wasn't the Underground. Cathleen and the others, these were people that Gaster barely knew. No, he didn't know them one bit. It had taken Flowey countless trials and resets to understand and predict every individual he had manipulated. He had never gotten to the point where he could predict what just _anyone_ would do. It took time to really get to know someone, to believe otherwise was reckless and irrational. Asriel feared that Gaster's arrogance would be his downfall.

When the stakes were this high, what would happen if even one thing didn't go according to plan?

* * *

Attempt 1

A shrill alarm blared across the laboratory, and a timid voice spoke through the speakers. "Th-they're here! They're here!" Alphys cried. "Everyone, get ready!"

Frisk raised his head. It was time. He moved behind the barricade alongside the others and readied his rifle. He stared down the scope, prepared to shoot anyone who…

… what the hell? How had it come to this? Frisk, _Frisk_ was holding a military-grade assault rifle with the intent of shooting anyone who moved. Everything about it felt so wrong. He wasn't supposed to be a killer; his words were supposed to be his weapon. How had everything gotten so derailed?

It wasn't that he was a hard pacifist, despite what many called him. He had proved as much by killing Cade. If necessary, he could defend himself, but it was true that he hated fighting. He didn't want to kill anyone, not even Cathleen. People would call him mad for it, but he felt no desire for revenge over Toriel's death. He didn't want to do this.

Unfortunately, however, Frisk didn't see any way to talk this one out. They had no choice but to fight.

Yes, fighting was their only choice… no other options.

He looked at the sealed blast door on the opposite side of the Reservoir Chamber. An orange line pierced through and began forming a circle. Sparks fell to the floor as it neared completion, and smoke rose into the air.

"H-here they come!" Alphys called. "As soon as that door opens, let them have it!"

A wide chunk of the door blasted open, and the Garnet Demons poured through. Everyone immediately opened fire. As expected, Seth blocked the incoming bullets and magic with an energy shield so massive that even Chara could shoot it, and the enemy marched behind him.

But they had planned for this. Several slots in the ceiling opened up, and an array of chaingun turrets popped out, the AlTech Bastions. Their many barrels spun around and unloaded their custom 7.62mm ammunition at ten-thousand rounds per minute. Chaotic ripples of energy violently thrashed Seth's shield as it quickly turned from blue to red. It was only moments before the barrier shattered to pieces, and the Bastion turrets mowed them down. Blood splattered over the walls as they swiftly fell.

Soon, the only one left standing was Cathleen. She stood behind her shield made of crystal, clad in a thick suit of armor made of the same material replete with a horned helmet. Axe in hand, she marched over the corpses of her allies.

It was a strange sight. On one hand, Frisk was shocked that the enemy had been annihilated so easily. From his lack of EXP gain, he knew that none of his shots had landed a killing blow. He wouldn't have been surprised if every single fatal round had been from the turrets… he didn't want to think about how much EXP Alphys had gotten.

On the other hand, Frisk was shocked that Cathleen remained standing while everyone else was dead. Apparently, her crystals were the only thing that could withstand Alphys's firepower. Although their victory may have seemed impossible based on these results, this was only the first attempt, and that number was only limited by the enemy's patience and willpower. Frisk knew that they couldn't let their guard down. For them, it only took one loss.

But right now, they still had to finish off Cathleen. She continued moving forward, until her body suddenly rose into the air. Frisk spotted Sans standing behind where Cathleen had just been. He slammed Cathleen into the floor with a thunderous impact, repeatedly. He lifted her again, and again. The turrets fired at her while she was in the air. Her armor wasn't as tough as her shield; the bullets pierced through and spilled her blood onto the floor below her.

Cathleen's body went limp before she could scream, yet Sans continued to slam her corpse into the ground. Knowing it was over, Alphys shut down the turrets, but Sans kept going. Despite everything Cathleen had done, the sight of Sans relentlessly battering her dead body chilled Frisk to the core. He couldn't let it continue.

"H-hey, that's enough!" Frisk cried. Sans ignored him, so he shouted again. "Sans, stop! Stop! She's already dead!"

Finally, Sans tossed Cathleen's body into the reservoir, filling the water with a red mist. He put his hands into the pockets of his bloodstained blue jacket and stared at them, his smile the same as ever. "What?"

Frisk blinked incredulously. He hadn't taken Sans for the vengeful type, but then again, Sans had always been incredibly hard to understand. Frisk wasn't sure how to react.

Sans glanced back at the pile of dead Garnet Demons. "Well, that was easy. Guess they weren't a Sans-level threat after all. You were really done in by these losers, old lady? Come on."

"Good work," Chara said. "You may be worth a great deal of EXP, but I dare our enemies to try and claim it. Now, let us search the bodies. Find out who's missing."

_Yay, corpses,_ Frisk groused.

"Y-yes," Alphys said over the speaker. "Just give me a second to deactivate the traps… okay, you can go."

Given the all-clear, Frisk moved with the others to inspect the bodies. He cringed at the thick stench of blood, but it had to be done. He and Chara lifted Seth's body from the pile and laid it neatly on the floor. Everyone else did the same. Soon, their fallen enemies were all arranged for easy accounting. By process of elimination, they would identify the World Master.

Dacuel stared darkly at each of the corpses. He stopped by the shared corpse of Everette Victor and Syleth Kass. Dacuel dropped his sniper rifle and knelt by it. He lifted its head and stared into its dead, open eyes, and he wept.

Meanwhile, Chara eyed Dacuel suspiciously. "Can we really trust him?" she whispered.

"If it is a trick," Asriel said, "he's a really good actor. It'd be very hard to fake those tears. Although, assuming he is on our side, will it stay that way?"

Frisk shrugged. "Who knows?"

While they pondered Dacuel's trustworthiness, Mettaton suddenly called out. "We have a winner! The only demon missing is Elara Gilbert; that's one mystery solved!"

So it was Elara; that was hardly unexpected. As Dacuel had explained, Elara had been an exceptionally powerful mage _before_ becoming a demon, so it was only natural that she was the most lethal member of Cathleen's forces. If they couldn't use her, that made things easier.

"So, what now?" Asriel asked.

"What do you think?" Chara said. "Now we wait."

Frisk nodded. "Now we wait."

There was no way the enemy was going to risk communicating with their World Master; that would have increased Elara's risk of detection. She had probably been told to wait some time until assuming that the attack had failed. All they could do was wait for that to pass…

* * *

Attempt 2

After a few hours, the world reset. One day after the reset, the alarm in Gaster's lab sounded again, and everyone prepared to defend it again. The enemy began cutting through the door just like last time. Frisk aimed his assault rifle and fired as soon as the door blasted open, but this time, it wasn't Seth who led the charge. Cathleen stood in front with her shield and summoned a tall crystal wall. The Bastion turrets revved and fired, but the bullets bounced right off Cathleen's wall.

It completely obstructed the doorway, but it wasn't long until Frisk spotted Seth's barrier deploy on the right side of the wall. Only a couple of the turrets had a clear shot on it. While those two emplacements fired, a group of enemies shot back fire magic. The flames melted the machines' support, and they fell to the ground.

Seth stepped forward so they could repeat the process with another two turrets, but Frisk and the others threw everything they could at Seth's shield. Despite their efforts, the enemy destroyed another two turrets, but their barrier turned red. Seth and the others stepped back behind the crystal wall to recover. This wasn't good. They had already taken out half of the Bastion turrets. At this rate, they'd breach the first line of defense with zero casualties. Frisk tried to think of some way to counter before…

Sans teleported on top of the wall and force-grabbed Cathleen. He flung her over the wall, in range of the remaining four turrets, which immediately punched gruesome red holes all over her body. The crystal wall crumbled to pieces, and it didn't take long for the turrets and the defenders to gun down the exposed invaders.

* * *

Attempt 3

This time, Cathleen added spikes to the top of her wall, so Sans couldn't stand on it.

He may not have been able to get the line of sight he needed to force-grab them, but that didn't stop him from spawning bones and blasters on their side. The wall was close to the entrance, offering the enemy little room to maneuver in the narrow, crowded corridors. Sans's magic killed them all quickly.

* * *

Attempt 4

So Cathleen placed the wall farther away.

* * *

Attempt 5

But even with plenty of space…

* * *

Attempt 9

Sans was still deadly.

* * *

Attempt 12

Some of them started to get the hang of it. By the time they cleared out all eight Bastion turrets, about half of them were still standing. They were finally able to charge past the first line of defense. Cathleen took the lead and advanced until something jabbed into her feet, and she convulsed violently. It was part of the second line of defense, sharp metal spikes charged with electric magic. Everyone who followed her fell into the same trap, leaving them wide open.

* * *

Attempt 16

After failing at the turrets another three times, they made it to the second line again. Syleth flew high and fired a beam of light across a column of spike traps. Metal and circuits scattered across the floor, and the intruders advanced across the path in relative safety…

… until Alphys activated the next set of traps. Blue lasers suddenly shot out from the walls and seared everyone it struck. Cathleen halted, and - despite being directly inside - the lasers had no effect on her. Of course, she recognized this form of magic, the kind that injured anyone who moved, but spared those who remained still. Although standard magic would harm the target regardless of motion, Alphys could keep the blue lasers active much longer as they cost less energy.

It wasn't really fair when Sans blasted the enemy while they were trapped.

* * *

Attempt 19

Aside from Syleth, there wasn't anything they could do to avoid the lasers, but they quickly realized that they were much less powerful than Sans or physical bullets. They pressed through the beams despite the damage, injecting themselves with DT to heal their wounds. Their grimaces showed how grueling the experience was, but at the rate they were going, they would get through it.

And then the napalm sprinklers activated.

The sticky, flammable liquid drenched the invaders and their surroundings. A socket on the wall opened, revealing a flamethrower. It ignited the napalm. Cathleen and her entire army went up in flames. Some of them fell into the remaining electric spike traps as they rolled on the ground screaming. Syleth was the only one who avoided the flames by staying airborne, but Sans shot him down. Syleth fell into the electrified reservoir and immediately fried to death.

Cathleen was the last to die. She kept moving forward until she fell with her face on the floor.

* * *

Attempt 20

They equipped fire resistant items to survive the napalm strike, so Alphys sprayed acid instead.

* * *

Attempt 22

"21," Sans said. "That's the number you need to get a Blackjack, but go any higher, and you bust. You know what they say about gambling, don't you?

* * *

Attempt 23

"The house always wins."

* * *

Attempt 28

After preparing for all sorts of traps, Cathleen finally made it to the reservoir, alone. As she tried to make a bridge, Sans pushed her into the water.

* * *

Attempt 32

At last, Cathleen, Seth, Syleth, and a couple others crossed the reservoir. They had reached the third line of defense, the manned garrison. Frisk and the others were now truly on the frontline.

The moment the enemy stepped foot on their side of the water, Atami was the first to engage the enemy at close range. Like at the airport, she rushed Cathleen and attacked with her rapier. Frisk didn't understand why she was being so aggressive. The plan was to let the enemy come to them. They were all supposed to stay behind the barricade and shoot them from a distance, Sans being the only exception. There was no good reason for Atami to do this. Was there no end to her recklessness?

Atami's rapier clanged rapidly against Cathleen's shield. Her swift strikes left no room for a counter. She went low and landed a thrust through Cathleen's kneecap. Groaning, Cathleen swung her axe at Atami's shoulder. She dodged and lunged for another attack.

Before her blade connected, Syleth ran his sword through Atami's heart.

Atami panted as Syleth withdrew his blade. She clutched her wound with one hand, but kept her other hand around the hilt of her rapier. She raised it, but Syleth blasted her with a beam of light magic and knocked her to the ground. She shakily tried to push herself back up, but her arms soon went limp. Her breaths slowed as she lied with her back on the floor. She closed her eyes, and she sighed. If Frisk hadn't known any better, he would have called it a sigh of relief, but… that couldn't have been right. Atami wasn't...

Regardless of its nature, it had been Atami's final breath, marking the first causality on the defenders' side.

Not that it mattered.

Frisk lined up the sights of his rifle with Syleth's head and pulled the trigger. Someone else must have been quicker, because when Syleth's head exploded into blood and dust, he didn't get any EXP. Seth raised his shield to defend Cathleen, but Sans shot right through with a blaster. Everyone else made quick work of the stragglers with guns and magic. Another one down.

Infinity to go.

* * *

Attempt 33

After the reset, Chara immediately made her way to Atami and shot her a scolding glare. "What the hell was that?"

Atami stared blankly. Chara was well-aware that she didn't remember, but she couldn't contain her fury. "Do you have any idea what you did?" Chara growled. Atami didn't even bat an eye in response. Her expression was as dead as her actual corpse. Chara wanted to slap her. Had she learned nothing from the airport massacre? What did it take to be so hardheaded? "Hey, are you listening to me?"

Frisk frowned and whispered to Chara. "Umm, maybe go easy on her? I don't think she's… in her right mind."

"Damn right she's not in her right mind!" Chara snapped. "Next time she goes on a suicide charge like that, don't expect me to help!"

"U-umm, about that," Frisk whispered. "I think that's _exactly_ what it was."

_Huh?_ Chara tilted her head. 'Exactly what it was?' What did he…?

Wait…

Did she _want_ to die?

Now that Chara thought about it, Atami hadn't spoken a word since the airport. She wasn't exactly a chatterbox, but normally they should have gotten _something_ out of her by now. The last thing she had said was a despondent apology. It was clear what was happening. In Atami's mind, it was her fault that Mother had died, and she couldn't live with the guilt.

"… Atami," Chara said, "if you want to help, then follow the plan. Work _with us_. If you don't, you will only compound your mistakes. Throwing your life away is not the answer."

Atami remained silent.

Chara sighed. "Well, I tried."

"Hold up." Overhearing their conversation, Tevis anxiously approached. "What's going on here?"

Chara looked at him darkly. How was she supposed to explain what they had just discovered?

"Hmm, how to put this," Sans chimed in. "Your cousin has the expression of someone driven mad by failure and desires nothing more than an honorable death to end her miserable existence. I think that about sums it up."

Tevis stared at them agape, quietly processing what Sans had just told him. He looked at Atami and spoke with a ghastly whisper. "Is that really how you feel?" Atami still refused to speak and avoided eye contact. "Why?" Tevis asked. "None of this is your fault. You did the right thing fighting those pieces of demon trash. Everyone should be praising your bravery, so why do you feel like you deserve to die?"

As Atami _still_ wouldn't say anything, Tevis pressed his hands against his head and let out a frustrated sigh. "I can't understand if you won't tell me."

Alphys's voice cracked over the speakers. "U-uh, Atami? I just want you know, I get how you feel, because I've been there. S-so if you wanna talk about it, uh, f-feel free to come see me."

After a long pause, Atami turned and walked to the wall. She sat by it, keep her eyes away from everyone around her. Tevis followed and sat next to her, but Chara didn't know how to help someone who refused to accept it. There was nothing she could do.

"This really is a psychological battle, isn't it?" Asriel asked. "Our only hope is to break down the enemy's will to fight, but we need to worry about our own sanity as well."

"Yeah," Sans said. "Speaking of which, you might want to check on Felicia. She's not doing so well, either."

_Felicia?_ Chara scanned the room and found her sitting on the floor in a fetal position, agitatedly rocking back and forth. Elodie was by her side with a concerned frown. Chara knew that - as a former World Master - she remembered every reset just like herself, Frisk, and Asriel. Chara walked over to speak, but what could she say?

"Not again," Felicia muttered deliriously. "Not again…"

Elodie looked at Chara, Frisk, and Asriel as she saw them approach. "It's not much better on the opposite side, is it?" she asked.

Frisk shook his head. "It's a nightmare either way."

Elodie nodded sadly. "The rest of us have it easy. I'm sorry you're the only ones who have to suffer."

Of course, letting the others remember was an option. Gaster had the power to restore their memories, but that would be a double-edged sword. If everyone remembered the resets, they would be able to mix up their tactics further, but they would also risk mental exhaustion from endless fighting. The ultimate goal was to break down the enemy's will to fight, but their patience was being tested as well. By not remembering, however, their patience was nigh infinite, so they had decided that only those who naturally retain memories of resets would do so. It was up to Chara, Frisk, Asriel, and Felicia to remember past resets and adjust their strategy accordingly, while the others were able to fight with fresh spirits.

"No," Felicia whispered. "You'll feel it too, you'll feel it too…"

Chara pursed her lips. She had some concerns, to say the least. Felicia's trauma was clearly overwhelming her. It should have been obvious that this would happen; they never should have let her come in the first place. "This is too much for her," Chara said. "Let's get her out of here."

Felicia gasped. Her fingers clawed into her legs, and she spoke with a trembling voice. "N-no… I won't give up again."

"It's okay," Elodie said. "You don't have to -"

"No!" Felicia shouted. "Last time, I gave up so no one would have to get hurt for my sake, but if I leave now, it'll all just keep going without me! If I left you like that, I could never live with myself!"

"You don't have to push yourself," Elodie said.

"Don't give me that," Felicia said. "You know it'll be worse if I don't."

Dacuel suddenly joined them. "Heh, yeah. All we can do is decide which choice sucks the least, huh? No, scratch that. Sometimes the right choice _is_ the suckiest one."

Felicia nodded. "Yes…"

Dacuel grinned. "But hey, no point crying about it, right? Let's just smile and keep moving forward. I know that sounds impossible when God Emperor Cath is making El reset the timeline over and over, but don't think of it as a circle. Think of it as a spiral. Yes, it's a loop, but that doesn't mean we aren't making progress. Every iteration goes a little farther than the last. We'll reach the end at some point."

Chara blinked. "Umm, yes, but it's the enemy who grows closer to succeeding with every attempt."

Dacuel chuckled and spread his arms. "True, but so are we. That mad scientist said he has a plan, didn't he? I know what he did is unforgivable, but - thanks to my incredible powers of deduction - I'm confident that he'll make good on his promises. He _is_ fighting for the greater good, after all. I don't imagine he's the type to sacrifice people for nothing."

Chara hummed. She was surprised to see this optimism coming from him. Every reset, he wept over the deaths of his former neighbors, but now he was hiding that pain flawlessly. Chara still couldn't tell if it was sincere or some kind of trick. How could they tell what truly going on beneath that expression? It wasn't as if they could…

She shifted her gaze to Sans. He looked back and tilted his skull. "What?"

Chara moved close and whispered as discreetly as she could. "Hey, what do you think of Dacuel? Can we trust him?"

"What are you asking me for?" Sans asked. "I'm not really an expert on -"

"Cut the crap," Chara hissed. "I know you're some sort of genius when it comes to reading people. You _just_ gave a perfect psychoanalysis of Atami, so stop feigning ignorance like you always do and tell me what you know."

After a brief pause, Sans sighed. "Look, I can't say _for certain_ what Dacuel's intentions are, but I do think he's being straight with us. Let's call it, ah, ninety-eight percent sure."

"Ninety-eight?" Chara asked. "So there's a two percent chance that he'll try to screw us?"

"That _is_ one hundred minus ninety-eight, yes," Sans said.

"Well, you are watching him, are you not?" Chara asked. "The moment he tries to betray us, I trust you will obliterate him to ashes?"

"If you're gonna be such a worrywart, why don't you do it?" Sans asked.

"But of course," Chara said. "We all must keep our guard up. We do not need some bastard destroying us from the inside."

Sans hummed. "Yeah…"

* * *

While Chara went off to discuss something with Sans, Dacuel looked at Frisk and grinned. "Haha, it doesn't take a genius to guess what's that about, huh? That's fine. I can't blame her for not trusting me. What about you, Hero of Monsters? You keeping an eye on me?"

Frisk shrugged. "Sure, whatever."

"Heh, that's, uh, not very enthusiastic," Dacuel said. "Come on, I know you're worried about it. Why don't we share some stories? You can't build trust with someone until you get to know them. I'll start. Name's Dacuel Argien, born and raised in Garnet Village. Likes include hunting, military strategy, grand feasts, and long rides through the forest. Of course, we don't really use horses anymore, but motorcycles are cool, too. Dislikes: leaving things to chance, blind faith in authority figures, and bigotry. My greatest wish is to create a world where all my friends can be treated as equals, though that may be difficult at this point." He gave Frisk an expectant look. "Alright, your turn."

Frisk shook his head. "No offense, but I'm not really in the mood to chat."

Dacuel spread his arms up. "Aww, come on, don't be like that. You can't deny that we have a connection, don't you see? We're both souls of determination, we're both aeromancers, and did I tell you that you have an ass for days? If you don't give me something, it'll break my demon heart."

Frisk shot him an incredulous look. "What do you want from me?"

"Exactly what I'm asking for!" Dacuel said. "Just tell me about yourself. Let's try something more specific, why did you climb Mount Ebott?"

"To free the monsters," Frisk said curtly.

"Yes, yes, but _why?_ " Dacuel pressed. "What was your motivation? Sure, it may seem noble to free an imprisoned species, but it's not like you knew anyone who lived there. No matter how selfless you are, it's kind of hard to care about a bunch of people you've never met. What is it that you really want, more than anything else?"

_What I want?_ Frisk supposed it was the same as it had always been. "I want to protect everyone."

"Everyone?" Dacuel asked. "Who is everyone?"

Frisk couldn't fathom what he meant. "Just what it sounds like. I want everyone to be happy."

"Ha, okay, then," Dacuel said, "but there are people you care about more than others, yeah? If you truly cared about the happiness of every living being on the planet, you'd drive yourself mad. We all would. After all, you don't mope like this when anyone dies, just when someone close to -" As Frisk glared at him, Dacuel laughed and held up his hands. "Sorry, didn't mean to be insensitive, but you get my point, don't you?"

Frisk growled. "No, I don't."

"Alright," Dacuel said. "Look at it this way. If you were forced to choose between saving your closest friends, or hundreds, perhaps thousands of strangers, what would you do? Heck, let's say it's just Chara. Would you forsake the latter if it meant saving her, or would you sacrifice her for the greater good?"

Frisk paused. Even thinking about that question tightened a knot in his stomach. He shook his head. "Don't even ask me that."

Dacuel smiled. "Aha, see? There's no telling what you'd do. Objectively speaking, I think most people would agree that putting the many first is the morally correct choice, but because of our very nature, that's not such an easy choice to make."

Frisk gave Dacuel a piercing stare. "It's the choice you made, isn't it?"

"Heh, it may seem that way," Dacuel said, "but the fact that I care about my friends is exactly why I must fight them. If Cathleen has her way, she'll bring them a fate worse than death. There's not a chance in hell I'll let her do that, no matter what."

Frisk hummed. "Worse than death, huh? You're really that convinced she's wrong?"

"Haven't I explained this already?" Dacuel said. "Even if she didn't believe that all the people she's killed could be resurrected, she'd still be doing it. She's never handled grief well, yet to her, a life lost for a higher purpose is not a life lost in vain. She _will_ drive herself mad getting what she wants, so we have no choice but to stop her.

"You understand, don't you? I'll do anything to stop Cathleen, so if you get any funny ideas about siding with her, I won't hesitate to put you down."

Frisk felt a chill run down his spine. Side with Cathleen? He gulped. "What makes you think I'd do that?"

Dacuel smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Haha! What do you look so scared for? I'm just messing around! Don't worry about it!" He pat Frisk on the shoulder. "Good talk, but you'll have to catch me up next time. Maybe when I ask why you saved the monsters, you'll actually have an answer for me. I look forward to it!"

At last, Dacuel walked away, leaving Frisk to his thoughts. Why had he saved the monsters? Wasn't it obvious? Because it had been the right thing to do. He had possessed the power to save them, so he had to. What kind of person would he have been if he - the World Master - had allowed the monsters to remain imprisoned? Even if he hadn't known them, even if he hadn't truly cared about a single person trapped down there, it wouldn't have been right to just do nothing.

"Tch!" Frisk jumped as he heard someone click their tongue behind him. It was Chara. "Who does he think he is?" she hissed.

"Y-you heard that?" Frisk asked.

"Enough," Chara said. "Don't listen to that pompous fool. You climbed the mountain because you're not a piece of shit. No need to overthink it."

Yes, that was essentially what Frisk had been telling himself, but… why did it bother him? He had climbed the mountain for the good of the monsters, and that was all there was to it. No ulterior motives, just a selfless wish for the best of people who had been dealt an unfair hand. Was that really so hard to believe? Why were people so cynical?

Jealously. That was the only thing Frisk could imagine. People didn't like it when someone was too perfect, because it made them feel inferior. Their weak little minds couldn't handle the fact that other people were just better than them, so they lashed out at their 'impossibly' golden superiors. That was why Dacuel had questioned his goodwill. He knew that he never could have done what Frisk had done, so he denied reality and accused him - with no evidence - of having some hidden agenda. Screw him!

"Now, let us maintain our guard and prepare for the next assault," Chara said.

Frisk nodded. "Right."

They had more important things to worry about.

Attempt Thirty-Three went about the same as Attempt Thirty-Two. The enemy made it past the bridge, with one more survivor. Atami died on her suicide charge again, and Tevis died trying to save her. After that, the enemy was shortly wiped out.

* * *

Attempt 34

They tried to restrain Atami, but she held a gun to her head and threatened to end it right there. All they could do was let her die the way she wished.

* * *

Attempt 57

And she was always first.

* * *

Attempt 108

Slowly, the enemy crossed the bridge with greater strength.

* * *

Attempt 127

As Frisk's baton clashed with Cathleen's axe, everything suddenly went black.

* * *

Attempt 128

Next thing he knew, the enemy had disappeared. While he glanced around in confusion, Chara suddenly ran to him and squeezed him tightly, sobbing. "F-Frisk! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it!"

It had been his first death in over seven years.

* * *

Attempt 146

With a swing of Cathleen's axe, Frisk found himself staring at his own decapitated body.

Fortunately, they were able to win without him.

* * *

Attempt 147

"So," Dacuel said, "got an answer for me yet?"

Frisk's eyes widened. "I thought you didn't remember?"

Dacuel winked. "I have my ways, so…?"

Frisk clicked his tongue and turned away. "Leave me alone."

* * *

Attempt 218

It was getting harder, but they still had the edge.

* * *

Attempt 291

While Mettaton shielded them from all magic attacks, Napstablook's speakers blasted every enemy into the electrified water.

* * *

Attempt 333

Mad Mew Mew split Cathleen's soul into two halves - one of which was blue - and attacked them with some kind of strange magic consisting of red and blue circles. The blue part of Cathleen's soul collided with a red circle, and her soul shattered.

* * *

Attempt 484

Undyne's spear pierced Seth's kneecap, and Asgore's trident ran through his chest.

* * *

Attempt 649

Elodie shoot Syleth down with a bolt of lightning. The moment he landed, Felicia stepped on his neck and fired her SMG into his head.

* * *

Attempt 802

An enemy shot Chara in the stomach. While Asriel tried to heal her, a bullet went through his head, scattering his dust all over Chara's body.

* * *

Attempt 803

After one last barrage of flame, Chara melted into a dark red puddle.

* * *

Attempt 804

"How about now?" Dacuel asked.

" _Fuck off!_ "

* * *

Attempt 999

Chara twitched.

* * *

Attempt 1001

Sans brought a cake.

* * *

Attempt 1098

" _How long do we have to fight?!_ "

* * *

Attempt 1180

With only three dead behind them, the enemy again crossed the water, marching over the bodies of Atami and Tevis. Like so many times before, both sides traded fire. Frisk zeroed a target in his sights and shot his rifle; he took cover behind a pillar of crystal raised by Cathleen. Frisk spotted another enemy pointing a rifle at him and ducked behind the barricade just before bullets flew above his head. By now, he knew perfectly well how suddenly it could all end.

Until it began again.

And again.

And again.

As usual, Sans continued teleporting around, attacking the enemy with bones and blasters, but his breaths were heavy, and sweat dripped down his skull. He teleported away as several enemies fired their rifles at him and slumped behind the barricade. "H-huf," he panted. "Y-yeah, bullets are still _really_ fast."

Asriel dived to Sans's side. He extended his hands close to him, and Sans's bones lit up with a purple aura. Meanwhile, an enemy lobbed a fragmentation grenade towards them. Mettaton jumped out, caught the grenade, and threw it back at the enemy. The explosion knocked one of them to the ground. Mettaton raised his arms and cheered. "Yeah! You wanted defense? How's _that_ for defense? You villain's will never get past..!"

A rocket flew through the air and struck the center of Mettaton's face. Fragments of glass and metal scattered over the floor as he fell on his back. Frisk clicked his tongue and shot the enemy with the rocket launcher. They went down, and Mettaton planted his hands into the ground, struggling to get up. "I-I… I can still…"

Blasts of flame, electricity, and light pierced through Mettaton's body. An arm tore off, then a leg, then another arm. Light flickered across Mettaton's screen until it dimmed to darkness, and he stopped moving. While he shut down, Napstablook hovered above with teary eyes. "N-no…"

Napstablook's gaze turned towards the enemy. "I-I… I actually felt kind of bad at first, knowing that you had to die over and over… but now… I think I was wrong. I think…" They took a deep breath.

"YOU DESERVE THIS!"

Frisk cringed and covered his ears. Just as they had during the battle at the courthouse, Napstablook unleashed an aural attack devastating friend and foe alike. In addition to the deafening soundwaves, Napstablook eyes sprayed a flurry of acidic tears that melted though anything it touched. A handful of enemies fell, and a crystal pillar crumbled and crushed a demon unfortunate enough to be under it.

And then it stopped. A crystal spear ran through Napstablook's form. Frisk heard a gagging sound before Napstablook dissolved into dusty particles, floating into the air before vanishing.

But there was nothing to grieve over.

Frisk spotted Syleth in the air, diving towards Chara. She raised her pistol and fired, but her arms trembled, and all her shots missed their mark. By the time Frisk lined up Syleth in his sights, he was already within striking distance.

_Clang!_

A massive trident clashed against Syleth's blade. Standing in front of Chara, Asgore parried Syleth's strike and thrust his trident through Syleth's stomach. He twisted it inside and pulled back, bringing Syleth with it. Then he grabbed one of Syleth's wings and tore it off his back. While Syleth screamed and tried to pry himself off the trident, Frisk shot a bullet into his head. A mixture of blood and dust sprayed out, and Syleth hung lifelessly in the air.

Asgore kicked Syleth's body off his trident and let it crash into the ground. He kept a firm grip on his weapon as the enemy continued advancing. Seth stood in front with Cathleen and a handful of others close behind. Glaring at Cathleen, Asgore stepped forward. "For what you have done, I will end you too many times to count."

"Father, wait!" Chara shouted. "Don't do it!"

As always, Asgore didn't listen. He held his trident high and ran at Cathleen. Before he got anywhere close, countless bullets shot through him. He fell to one knee, but got back up and kept moving despite the gunfire. The moment Cathleen was within reach, she drew a pistol from her waist and fired it at Asgore's head. He collapsed to the floor, and Cathleen walked through the dust pile that soon followed.

Teeth clenched, Chara aimed her pistol at Cathleen, but Cathleen was quicker. Her pistol flashed a second time, and Chara fell. At this point, not even her 'death' meant anything to Frisk.

It was all pointless.

Out of the corner of his eye, Frisk saw some demon aim a rifle at him, but what did it matter? If he died, he would just come back again, same as before. If anything, it was better to die. The faster he died, the faster this cycle would be over, but then again, the loop would only continue. Over and over, unless…

Something pushed Frisk down below the barricade. As bullets whizzed by overhead, he heard a painfully annoying voice. "Hey, try to stay with us, buddy."

Frisk's garnet eyes shot him the most venomous stare they could. "Get the fuck off me."

Dacuel smiled. "If you're not up to it, just leave it to me, yeah?"

Not up to it…? That wasn't…

Dacuel stood, and Frisk stood with him. His sniper rifle in hand, Dacuel blew one enemy's brains out, and Frisk gunned down another. Meanwhile, Cathleen pointed forward, and all her troops threw grenades at the barricade. Frisk and Dacuel raised their hands, and a strong wind began to blow. With a swipe of their arms, the wind blew the explosives back at the enemy. A couple were injured, but the rest deflected the attack with their personal barriers and kept moving. They were just a few feet away.

Frisk saw Seth charge their barricade, covered by his large shield and wielding his sword. Dacuel drew a sword of his own as Seth jumped over the barricade. Seth swung at him, and their blades clashed. Dacuel's eyes fixed on Seth with a stern gaze. "Come on, Gil. Don't you see that Cath's gone crazy? If her father saw her now, he'd -"

" _Traitor!_ " Seth furiously swung his sword at Dacuel, each of which Dacuel parried just in time. Frisk raised his rifle, but Seth saw and thrust his blade through Frisk's abdomen. Frisk grunted as burning pain assailed him; it was the one thing that the resets hadn't numbed. He tried to aim his rifle, but Seth pried it from his hands, leaving his sword in Frisk's stomach. He spun around him, grabbed him in a chokehold from behind, and pointed Frisk's gun at Dacuel.

Dacuel activated a barrier and brandished his sword. "Really, Gil? Now you're resorting to human shields? Some honorable knight you -" Seth fired a few shots, only for them to disintegrate over Dacuel's barrier. "You're lucky El isn't here to see this. Oh, right, that's because she's got an even higher body count than yours. Letting your own daughter murder innocent bystanders, real Dad of the Year we've got here."

Seth was quiet for a moment, but he kept the rifle pointed at Dacuel. "To bring back everyone who remains lost, this is a necessary evil."

"Oh, yeah, 'necessary evil,'" Dacuel scoffed. "Haven't heard that one before. _Real_ compelling argument. I'll think about what you said and… whew! Looks like I've bought enough time!"

Seth's face contorted in confusion. He turned his head back, and an armored fist slammed into his jaw. Blood and a few teeth spurt out of his mouth. Before he could recover, both of the armored hands grabbed Seth's neck and squeezed tightly. Frisk heard a chilling wheezing sound from Seth as his neck crumbled under pressure. He heard it snap, and Undyne let Seth drop. As if that hadn't been enough, she raised her foot and stomped on Seth's head, cracking his skull open and spilling a pool of blood.

"That's what you get!" Undyne shouted. "No one does Frisk like that!"

While Undyne stomped on Seth's face a second time, Elodie knelt beside Frisk and pointed her scepter at his wound. A green light glowed and the wound closed, though his gut still felt like it was on fire.

Her greaves covered in Seth's blood, Undyne looked at Frisk. "Can you still fight?"

He nodded. "Y-yeah."

"Good," Undyne said. "Because there's still plenty of -"

Frisk gasped. "Behind…!"

A sword thrust out of Undyne's chest. She whimpered as the blade twisted inside her. The moment it withdrew, she disintegrated into dust, reveling Syleth hovering behind her. He even had his lost wing back, as if he had never been injured.

Dacuel gulped. "H-hey, Sy. I see Cath rezzed you while we weren't looking."

"Hmph." Syleth extended his arm and fired a beam of light magic, striking the center of Dacuel's body. He convulsed as the magic seared his stomach. Frisk scrambled to get his rifle back. He saw it still in the hands of Seth's corpse. He rushed to it and pried the weapon from Seth's dead hand. By the time he raised it, Syleth's sword had pierced Dacuel's chest.

Just as Frisk fired, Syleth withdrew his bloody sword and deflected the shots, and he bolted for Frisk. A spike of adrenaline slowed everything to a crawl, but Frisk knew that he wouldn't be able to dodge the blade coming for him next. He imagined it going through his heart just as it had gone through Dacuel's.

That's what would have happened, but as he was mere inches away, Syleth suddenly plummeted to the floor. Frisk turned his head and saw Sans reaching out as if grasping something in the air, and Asriel stood by his side. It was about time.

While Syleth was on the ground, a burst of gunfire and lightning struck him, and his blood and dust again spilled over the metal floor. Felicia shot him a few more times and reloaded her submachine gun, and Elodie searched for her next target.

Of which there were still plenty. About a dozen enemies came in from the left and rights sides, trapping them in a pincer attack. Frisk couldn't fight the sinking sensation in his stomach. The enemy had never breached the barricade with this much strength before, and they were down to just six defenders. Was this it?

Sans stepped towards one side and glanced back. "I'll hold off this end. The rest of you take the other."

"Are you insane?!" Felicia shouted. "You can't take them all by your -"

"Okay!" Asriel said. "Defend the other side, everyone!"

Felicia protested, "but, how…?"

"Even split, trust me," Asriel said.

"And don't forget," Sans called, "there's still another line."

Frisk glanced at the entrance to the Inner Lab, a white light was all he could see. If anyone got through, he hoped it would be enough to stop them.

His thoughts were interrupted by the banging of Felicia's gun as she fired at the enemy. Elodie and Asriel supported her with their magic attacks, and Mad Mew Mew was already trading blows with Cathleen. Frisk quickly joined them and once again aimed down the sights of his rifle.

There was no cover on either side. As they fired on them, the enemy fired back. Frisk shot one down, Felicia shot another, then Felicia gagged as a bullet lodged into her throat. Elodie screamed and electrocuted one enemy to death as several bullets went through her chest, and then she fell.

On their side, Cathleen and two others remained. As she swung her axe at Mew Mew, Frisk locked Cathleen in his sights and pulled the trigger…

_Click!_

_Damn it!_

He felt a bullet go through his stomach and winced. _Fuck, fuck!_ He swiped his arm and launched a gust of wind magic, but they raised barriers and deflected it. Panic shot through him as two rifles pointed in his direction. _What can I do?! How do I…?!_

Mad Mew Mew dived in front of him, and bullets clanged off her metal body. At the same time, he felt his wound close as Asriel cast a green light on it.

Unfortunately, Mew Mew wasn't big enough to protect both of them. Just after Frisk healed, Asriel exploded into dust. His heart pounded, but Frisk couldn't lose his nerves. Though his hands trembled, he unloaded the empty magazine from his rifle and grabbed a new one. He popped in it, leaned over Asriel's dust, and shot the two enemies that weren't Cathleen.

While he did that, Cathleen thrust a crystal spear through Mew Mew's head. Electricity sputtered as the animatronic shut down and collapsed. Wasting no time, Cathleen gave Frisk a cold stare and jabbed her spear at him. Frisk sidestepped it and shot at her, only for the rounds to bounce off Cathleen's crystal shield. Frisk dropped his rifle and switched to his baton, and Cathleen's spear dematerialized as she grabbed her axe.

Cathleen swung first. Her axe came down towards Frisk's shoulder. He swept it aside with his baton, but Cathleen rammed her shield hard into Frisk's face. He recoiled from the blow and fell on his back. _Shit._ He felt blood trickle down his broken nose, but if he didn't get up soon, he was dead. He rolled back to his feet, and he saw Cathleen running towards a white light. It rippled as she entered, and she vanished into it.

_H-hey! That's dirty!_ Frisk hadn't taken Cathleen for the type to run away in the middle of a fight. He felt an impulse to go after her, but he stopped himself and checked on Sans. Frisk saw him collapsed on the floor drenched in sweat, surrounded by six corpses. He had won, but with no stamina to spare. He and Frisk were the only ones left; that meant Frisk was the only one who could follow Cathleen.

He looked at the blinding light that filled the doorway. Gaster seemed confident that whatever was inside would be enough to stop at least a few enemies, but he couldn't just sit and wait. He ran through the light. He expected to feel some sort of vertigo or nausea, but the transition was seamless. Once through, he found himself in a white void. Cathleen was a fair distance ahead, and he saw someone else.

It was just as Chara had described. In front of Cathleen was a skeleton wearing a yellow collared shirt and khakis, and he held a chainsaw in his hand, cackling as he revved it. "So, you finally made it to dear old Grandpa Semi. Took you long enough! Don't you know it's rude to keep an old man waiting?"

Cathleen huffed and raised her axe, but before she could swing, a horrible sound grated her and Frisk's ears, stunning them both.

"RHJvcCB5b3VyIHdlYXBvbiwgd291bGQgeW91IGtpbmRseT8="

Cathleen's axe slipped out of her hands and fell onto the void's floor. Her guard down, Semi threw a punch into her jaw. Blood tricking out of her mouth, she punched back, striking Semi's chin with an uppercut. Semi laughed while his skull jerked upward, but the rest of his body didn't flinch. He jabbed Cathleen's eye and swung his chainsaw into Cathleen's shoulder. The blades cut into her flesh.

"Nggh…" Cathleen ignored the pain and threw another punch into the spot where Semi's nose would have been. Semi lurched back but retaliated with a headbutt into Cathleen's own nose. As she staggered again, Semi tossed his chainsaw aside, grabbed her by the neck, and pummeled her face. Cathleen squirmed, thrusting her fists into Semi's body and kicking his shins, but she couldn't break free. Semi brutally beat Cathleen until she couldn't look straight, then he lifted her body over his shoulder.

Frisk had come to help, but it was clear that Semi was in no need of assistance.

Cathleen desperately flailed inside Semi's grasp, but it was no use. Semi carried her to a metal chair that Frisk hadn't noticed (Had it just appeared there?) There were restraints on each armrest. Semi threw her on the chair and shackled her to it. There was also a table next to it with various instruments such as a handheld buzzsaw, a metal spoon, a pair of pliers, a heat gun, a can of nails, a jar of spiders, a cage of rats...

Frisk felt a chill as he realized what was about to happen. Cathleen may have been the enemy, but...

_What should I do?_

Semi paced around Cathleen as her struggle continued against the restraints. "Now, where should we begin?" Semi asked. "Any requests?"

"This is a wasted effort," Cathleen growled. "You may break my body, but nothing you do can break my will."

Semi chuckled. "Are you sure?" He brushed his skeletal hand over Cathleen's fingers. "How about these? Can't rule with an iron fist if you can't make a fist, can you? Yeah, this'll do nicely…"

Semi grabbed the small buzzsaw. It revved loudly as he lowered it into Cathleen's right index finger. She grimaced but somehow managed not to scream, and Frisk winced at the sound of the saw grinding through her flesh and bone. Semi went slowly, gradually sinking the saw deeper until he finally chopped through the bone and severed the finger.

As it came off, Cathleen couldn't suppress a cry of pain, and Semi moved on to her middle finger. With shaky breaths, Frisk slowly moved closer to the grisly scene, and Semi's gaze drifted towards him. "Ah, I didn't see you there. Came to hear this bitch sing? We've got a lovely performance in store, and you've got front row seats! Just sit back and watch the magic happen!"

Red splattered all over Semi's shirt as he cut through Cathleen's middle finger, just as slowly as the last. Cathleen's cries grew louder, making Frisk feel sick to his stomach. There were those who would have relished to see her in this state, but Frisk couldn't stand it. Cathleen didn't deserve to be tortured like this. She wasn't some sadist who reveled in the suffering of others; she was just someone who fought for what she believed was right. Even if she was their enemy, Frisk could only describe Semi's actions as inhumane.

He couldn't let it continue.

"Stop this," Frisk muttered.

"Pfft." Semi laughed off Frisk's demand as if it were some ridiculous joke. His buzzsaw cut through Cathleen's middle finger, and her screams filled Frisk with horror, disgust, and rage. He stepped closer.

"I told you to stop."

Semi stared at him as if _he_ were the madman. "Wait, you're serious? You want me to _stop?_ "

"I won't repeat myself."

"… pfft, WHAHAHA! Angel have mercy, you're really as much of a wuss as they say! Come on! Need I remind you that _this_ is the one who murdered Toriel? Doesn't that make you _hate_ her _?_ Don't you want to watch her suffer, suffer, _suffer_ for what she did?"

"I'm not a barbarian," Frisk said.

Semi stepped away from Cathleen and approached Frisk with his arms spread. "Ah, but we're not doing this for fun. Well, not _just_ for fun, hehe. No, there is a good reason for this, don't you get it? This is the only way to stop her. When your enemy has control over time itself, the only way to beat them is to torment them until they can't take it anymore. You must fill them with an unbearable sense of pain, misery, and helplessness until they _beg_ for death. So unless you have any better ideas, I suggest you kindly shut the fuck up and let me work."

Frisk shook his head. "I won't let that happen."

Semi sighed. "So that's how it's gonna be, eh? Heh, heh, heh. You sure enjoy sticking your dick in crazy, don't ya? I bet if I were a cute girl, you'd wanna fuck me too, you sick…!"

Frisk raised his baton, but his ears shattered as that horrible sound screeched again.

"SSBET04nVCBUSElOSyBTTyE="

He stumbled, and his swing came nowhere close to Semi, then that psychopath pried Frisk's baton out of his hand and smashed it into his head. His vision would have been a blur if his surroundings weren't a blank void. He felt Semi lift him up, and next thing he knew, he was strapped to another chair beside Cathleen.

Frisk's eyes scanned across the second chair that had inexplicably appeared. "So, things just kind of happen here, huh?"

"But of course!" Semi said. "This is the Redacted Realm, the place where that which does not exist, does. This is _my_ domain! And I expect guests to behave themselves!" He pressed the blades of his chainsaw against Frisk's neck. "Are you gonna behave yourself?"

"Fuck you."

Semi laughed. "Aww, poor little Frisky's having a meltdown! I guess a thousand fights to the death will do that to you. Nevertheless, you need to be taught a lesson." Semi reached for something on the back of the chair. "You need a timeout. Stay here and think about what you've done."

Frisk heard a mechanical click, and an intense pain suddenly assailed his entire body. His muscles spasmed violently while the electric current ran through, and like Cathleen, he couldn't stop himself from crying in agony.

Out of the corner of his eye, Frisk saw Cathleen stare at Semi in disgust. "Torturing your own ally? You truly are a sickening creature."

"Oh, don't I know it?" Semi said. "There's nothing I won't do to get that sweet, succulent soul of yours. Once we get enough WISH, I'll finally… heh, well, that's enough small talk. Let's get back to business, shall we?"

While the chair continued to shock Frisk, Semi went back to severing Cathleen's fingers. Frisk tried to ignore the pain and think of a way out. How had Chara beaten him again? Right, she had emphasized with him. Semi had forgotten who he had been before his redaction, and all he wanted was to get his true self back. This wasn't the real Semi; Frisk just had to remind him that.

"H-hey," Frisk grunted. "Why don't you finish that thought?"

"Hmm? What was that?" Semi asked. "Sorry, I don't speak Bitch. Didn't take that elective."

"F-fine," Frisk said. "I'll finish it for y-you. This _charming_ personality of yours isn't really you. It's n-nothing more than a façade you fabricated, but with e-enough WISH, you finally be able t-to remember who you really are. Isn't th-that right?"

Semi snarled as he finished cutting Cathleen's ring finger. "You calling me a fake, you little shit? Maybe I _am_ the real Semi. Maybe dear old Grandpa isn't as nice as you'd expect. Maybe I _like_ being a sadistic bastard, because that _is_ who I am."

"Then wh-why do you need souls?" Frisk challenged.

Semi growled and chopped Cathleen's pinkie off in one swing, eliciting a bloodcurdling scream. He walked to Frisk's chair and pulled the lever. The current turned off, but then Semi threw his fist into his eye. Frisk whimpered as he felt it swell.

"I don't expect you to understand," Semi said. "Every moment of our not-existence, our mind is an incessant battleground. Hundreds, thousands, millions of variations upon variations, arguing, fighting, clawing at each other over who the _real_ Semi is. We all want control; the only reason I have it is because they know that I'm the one who'll get things done. There's not much we agree on, but we all know that the only way to settle our fight is by undoing our redaction. We _have_ to know the truth, no matter what that may be." He returned to Cathleen. "So if you could _please_ tell your friends to just _fucking die already_ , that would be _fucking peachy!_ "

" _AAAAAAAHHH!_ "

Semi grabbed his chainsaw and pressed it through Cathleen's right wrist, and her entire hand came off. Streams of her blood flowed down and painted the white void red. Semi huffed with labored breaths as he looked at his work. "That said, we can't have you dying just yet, not until you're willing. Here, drink up!" Out of his pocket, Semi pulled a bottle filled with some sort of clear liquid and forced it down Cathleen's throat. Judging by Cathleen's pained expression, the taste must have been putrid, but it closed the wound on her dismembered wrist. Frisk shuddered as it became clear that Semi was going to keep them around for as long as he could.

_Come on, there has to be something, something I can say to make him listen. How can I get through?_

While Semi began cutting the fingers of Cathleen's left hand, Frisk tried to make sense of his rant. Variations? Fighting for control? Chara had mentioned that he may have suffered from some sort of dissociative identity disorder, and that confirmed it. This was a split personality on steroids. Frisk had to use that to his advantage somehow.

"Hey," Frisk called, "are you really okay with this?"

"'Are you really okay with this?'" Semi mocked.

Frisk shook his head. "Wasn't talking to you."

Semi paused, leaving his buzzsaw halfway through Cathleen's left index finger.

"That's right," Frisk said. "Are you - all of you - really going to stand by and watch this? Come on, you're better than that. You know this is -"

Semi lunged at Frisk and squeezed his neck, just barely not crushing it. "What the fuck do you know about us? How could possibly know us when we don't know ourselves? Semi was _erased_! He's _gone_! And until these demons are dead, he'll never come back!" He repeatedly slammed Frisk's head against the back of the chair. "So _what the fuck_ do _you_ know?!"

"A-ah, ah!" _S-stop, please stop…_

But Semi was right. What _did_ Frisk know? Nothing. He had no idea who Semi was. He was a skeleton (probably). He was - had been? - someone's grandfather… and that was it. Those were the only constants. A name and a title, that was all he had. How could Frisk say what kind of person 'Grandpa Semi' was? He didn't know shit about him.

A sob escaped from Frisk's lips. "Sorry…"

Semi's grip on his neck relaxed. "'Sorry?' What?!"

"Y-you're right," Frisk muttered. "I don't know who you are. I'm sorry."

Semi titled his skull. "Well, you're goddamn right about that."

"But," Frisk said, "if I did know, then maybe -"

"Don't," Semi snarled. "Don't act like you care. You can't truly care about a stranger. No one can, especially when that stranger is doing _this_." He pulled the lever and again unleashed the electricity on Frisk.

He grimaced. "S-stop, p-please…"

After a few more seconds, Semi stopped the current, probably to make sure he didn't die from it. Frisk panted, heart pounding, and Semi looked at him with cold eye sockets. "Still want to finish that thought?" Semi asked.

Frisk couldn't bring himself to answer; there was a satisfied tone in Semi's voice. "Yeah, that's right. You don't care about me, and there's no way you care about her, either. You know what I think? You've got a textbook hero complex. That's why you climbed the mountain. Not because you actually cared about monsters; you just wanted to be the one to save the day. And you got exactly what you wanted, 'Hero of Monsters.' Fucking bravo."

Frisk grit his teeth. "You don't know me, either."

"Alright, then you tell me. Why did you climb the mountain?"

… _why did I climb the mountain?_

_To protect everyone…_

_Right?_

Was that the truth?

Frisk couldn't answer.

Semi sighed. "Take your time. Maybe some music will help you think it over. I'll be here."

He went back to Cathleen, and Frisk was again tormented by her screams. He _did_ feel bad for her, but… maybe not _that_ bad. If it were Chara in that chair, he'd have lost his mind. He would have been _screaming_ at Semi, struggling to break free no matter how futile it was. The pain of a friend would have hurt even more than his own; Cathleen's suffering came nowhere close. It was common sense. Friends were more important than strangers.

So why did he climb the mountain, to save people he knew nothing about?

Grabbing some pliers, Semi violently yanked a tooth out of Cathleen's mouth.

_It was the right thing to do._

An electric shock rattled her body.

_It was my responsibility as World Master._

Another tooth.

' _Because I'm not a piece of shit.'_

The rest of her fingers.

_Because…_

Her left hand.

_What did I want...?_

"Oh, cheer up!" Semi exclaimed. "Isn't this exciting? Isn't it fun? Are you not entertained?"

_Fun...?_

"I hope more of your friends make it next time!" Semi sneered. "Just think of how much more fun we'll have together! You'll get to watch as I cut _their_ fingers, pull _their_ teeth, break _their_ bones! Doesn't that sound _wonderful_?"

Cathleen panted. "Y-you fucking..."

_Is that what I...?_

Semi brought a spoon to her eye…

"I wanted an adventure!" Frisk cried.

Semi lowered his spoon. "Hmm?"

"That's why I did it!" Frisk said. "It wasn't because I cared about the monsters, it wasn't to be a hero, I just wanted an adventure! I was sick of my boring normal life. I wanted something _exciting!_ I wanted to explore a whole new world! And that's exactly what I got! The Underground was the greatest experience I could have asked for! The battles I fought, the friendships I forged, all of it was incredible! And on top of it all, I got to share it with an amazing girl who I've fallen in love with! It was everything I wanted!

"So you're right. I never cared about saving monsterkind! I never cared about saving the world! I did it all for myself! But before it was over, I _did_ grow to care about the people I met! I would go to hell and back for them! And now that my adventure is over, I'm satisfied! All I want now is to live out my days in peace with the friends I've made! And I will risk this whole _fucking_ world to make that happen!"

After a long pause, Semi slowly clapped his hands. "Wow, sounds like you just had a real epiphany, but… I don't really care. Still gonna torture you until the reset."

Frisk closed his eyes and breathed deeply. It had taken all this for him to realize, but it was the truth. He didn't need to protect everyone, only the people close to him. He only wanted to save the world because the ones he loved were in it. All the friends he had made, _that_ was the 'everyone' he wanted to save. He had craved the extraordinary, but now, if he could just live in peace with the friends he had made, that would be enough. Chara, Asriel, Sans, Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys, Asgore…

But someone was missing.

How could it ever be complete, without Toriel?

She was gone, completely. Her very essence had been consumed to fuel Cathleen's quest for power. Reviving her like Asriel was impossible. There was only one way to bring her back.

No matter what it took, no matter what he had to risk, Frisk would save her. The first friend he had made Underground, the mother of his beloved.

" _G-ggnhh...!_ "

Frisk raised his head. Semi had that spoon in Cathleen's eye and tugged at it. "C-come on," Frisk said. "Don't tell me you're gonna gouge her eyes out. They're too beautiful for that."

Semi gagged. "You're kidding, right?"

"Oh, you know me," Frisk said. "Flirting's what I do, but seriously, Cathleen. I wasn't sure about you at first, but I think I've _really_ taken a liking to you."

"Th-this is no time for jokes," Cathleen whimpered.

"Who says it's a joke? Screw Chara. I think you're absolutely wonderful and would _love_ to go out with you. When this is over, how about you give me a call? No, really…

"Call me."

* * *

Attempt 1181

Frisk stepped into the Inner Lab. Fortunately, the portal didn't activate until Cathleen and her forces approached. He looked around and saw Alphys inside, seated by an array of monitors. He also saw the Editor, a large machine resembling a mainframe computer, the machine they were fighting over.

He stepped towards it.

Hearing him, Alphys swiveled her chair and looked at him. "O-oh, hey Frisk. What brings you here?"

Frisk paused.

"Yeah, Frisk. What are you doing in here?"

_Tch!_

He turned and followed Dacuel's grating voice into his insufferable smiling face. He didn't know why, but Felicia was there, too. What did they want?

"You okay?" Dacuel asked. "You've been _really_ quiet since this reset started. Is there something you want to tell us?"

Felicia had her SMG in hand, and Frisk noticed that Dacuel's hand rested near a sidearm on his waist. Sweat collected on Frisk's brow as his heart thumped. "U-uh," Frisk stammered, "well, it wasn't good."

"How so?" Dacuel pestered.

"Umm, they breached the portal," Frisk said.

"Who?" Dacuel asked.

"… Cathleen."

"Is that so?" Dacuel said. "Well, we're still here, so I take it she didn't get through?"

"R-right," Frisk said. "I, uh, followed her. Just like Gaster said, Grandpa Semi was there. He…" Frisk shivered. "The things he did…"

Dacuel blinked. "Hold on, you don't mean…?"

"…"

Dacuel's face darkened with a scowl. "Well, I guess that's only logical, but I can't say I'm happy about it."

"… he did it to me, too."

Alphys's eyes widened. "H-huh?! He… _why?!_ "

"I told him to stop," Frisk said. "That pissed him off."

"I… see," Dacuel said. "Can I ask why?"

Frisk titled his head. "Umm, I guess he just didn't like me getting in -"

"No, no," Dacuel said. "Why did you tell him to stop?"

Frisk frowned. "Oh. I mean, I think you know. It just wasn't right."

"Sure," Dacuel said, "but we've been trapped in this cycle for a _long_ time. Even after all these battles, you were still willing to help her?"

Frisk looked through him. "What would you have done?"

Dacuel smiled. "Heh, I would have done the same thing, but only because I know Cathleen. If she were just some stranger, well, I would have let Semi do whatever he wanted to her, _especially_ if she had killed someone important to me."

Frisk shrugged. "Yeah, probably."

"Right," Dacuel said, "not many people would do what you did. I mean, she kills your girlfriend's mother, forces you to fight over a thousand battles, and you still help her? You must really emphasize with her, huh?"

"I… suppose so," Frisk said.

Dacuel's gaze cut right through his soul. "Or would 'sympathize' be a better word?"

"…"

"You still haven't answered my question," Dacuel said. "What are you doing here?"

Frisk paused.

Felicia's SMG trembled in her grasp as she stared coldly at him. "Answer the question, Frisk."

Eventually, Frisk turned to Alphys. "Uh, I was just going to talk with Alphys about our strategy. Since one of them made it through the portal, I figure we should rethink our defenses."

"Okay," Dacuel said. "Let's gather everyone, then. We should all hear what our grand tactician has to say."

Frisk fidgeted. "Oh, uh, good idea. Maybe you can bring them here?"

"Nah," Dacuel said. "You're the one with the plan; you should do it."

"I… I guess that makes -"

"U-uh, I could do it," Alphys said. "Yeah, I'll just… get on the speaker and tell everyone to come in for a meeting. It'll only take a second! Just let me…"

As Alphys reached for the microphone, the world seemed to freeze. Frisk's mind went into overdrive. If he didn't do something…

He had an important decision to make.

No, he had already made this choice.

It was now or never.

With one swift motion, Frisk grabbed his baton and slammed it into the side of Alphys's jaw. She screeched and went flying into the back of the room. She landed next to the Editor, immobile. Dacuel immediately drew his pistol while Felicia raised her SMG. Just before they fired, Frisk flipped over a lab table with a gust of wind and crouched behind it. He was all too familiar with the sensation of bullets flying overhead. While he drew his rifle, Dacuel called out to him.

"Come on, Frisk! You know you've lost! Come out and let's talk this out like adults!"

Frisk held his rifle over the table and answered with gunfire, but he didn't risk exposing himself. It didn't sound like his shots landed. Judging by the lack of screams, his shots missed.

" _You fucking traitor!"_ Felicia screamed. "I thought he was full of shit, but holy shit he was right! He was fucking right! _How could you?! I'll never…!_ "

" _What the fuck is this?!"_

A new voice screamed into the room, and Frisk called to her. " _Chara!_ Dacuel betrayed us! He -"

"Bullshit!" Felicia yelled. "Chara, don't - "

" - hurt Alphys! He's -"

" - listen to him! He's -"

" - after the Editor! You gotta -"

" - the traitor!"

" - stop him!"

Frisk peeked around the table and saw Chara aiming her pistol at Dacuel. "I'll kill you where you stand, double-crosser!" Chara barked.

Felicia stepped between Chara and Dacuel. "No!" Felicia cried. "Frisk is the traitor! You have to believe us!"

Chara froze. "Dacuel is no surprise but _you?!_ Why are you siding with _them?!_ "

"I'm not!" Felicia shouted. "I know it's hard to believe, but Frisk is trying to -"

Frisk couldn't let this chance go to waste. He swiftly stood and swiped up a massive blast of wind magic. The overwhelming force knocked Chara, Felicia, and Dacuel off their feet and into the wall behind them. It would buy just enough time. He quickly pulled out his phone and summoned something from his dimensional box. It was shaped like a brick, with a few wires and an antenna sticking out. He ran to the Editor and planted the brick onto it; the device stuck to the machine.

As Frisk ran back, Alphys groggily opened her eyes. She gasped when she saw what Frisk had stuck to the machine. She dashed to it and tried to pry it off.

It would all work out in the end.

Frisk had the device on speed dial. He called it.

_BOOOOOOOM!_

In a brilliant flash, the Editor blew to pieces. Metal and sparks flew all over the room. A shrill alarm blared throughout the laboratory, accompanied by a rapidly blinking red light. Once the smoke cleared, a pile of dust was visible underneath the Editor's shattered remains.

As the others got back up, Chara stared at the destruction with wide eyes and an open mouth. Her gaze darted between Frisk and the machine, refusing to accept the connection. "No," she whispered. "No, no, no…"

Dacuel grimaced. "I don't wanna say 'I told you so,' but…"

A black cloud suddenly appeared in the center of the room; Gaster popped out of it. His head wildly swiveled. "What is the meaning of this?! What…?" He spotted the wreckage and froze. "… what?"

He hovered by the broken machine. Seeing him lose that smug smile almost made the act worth it alone. Gaster's expression grew darker as the sight before him sunk in. "How…?"

"… it was Frisk," Felicia muttered.

Gaster's head jumped to face him, staring in disbelief. "What? No, impossible. Every calculation showed that this world's Frisk…" His skeletal hands clenched. "You…" Dark energy swirled around him. "This will not be forgive -"

Frisk held up his hand, and a red ripple of energy flew outward. The energy around Gaster disappeared. He clenched and unclenched his hands, but he was powerless to attack. Not even he was above Ceasefire.

"What have you done?" Gaster hissed.

Frisk saw no reason to entertain that question. He turned to the exit and began making his way out.

"F-Frisk…?" Chara called, as if searching for him in the dark. "Where are you going?"

There was no turning back.

He exited the Inner Lab. Everyone there was in a frenzy. Undyne was the first to run at Frisk. "Hey! What's with the alarm? Was that an explosion? What's going on in there?" Frisk said nothing and kept walking. "Hey! I'm talking to you! What happened?"

"Did someone get in?" Elodie asked. "Did they break through the anti-teleportation somehow?"

Mettaton drew a question mark on his screen. "Frisk, is everything…?"

" _Do you realize what you've done?!"_

Gaster followed Frisk outside the Inner Lab. _"_ That machine was our only hope of ending the demon threat, and you destroyed it. _Why?!_ "

As Frisk kept walking, the others stared in confusion.

"Wait… what?" Undyne said.

"Frisk… what?" Asriel said.

"You would side with them?!" Gaster yelled. "You think Ascension is the answer?! I've witnessed millions of worlds ruined by that power, millions of foolish demons who thought they could control it. No matter how well-intentioned, no matter how well-meaning they are, in the end, it always leads to catastrophe. _Is that what you want for this world?!_ "

Frisk didn't listen to that fatalist. He neared the stairway to the surface.

"Hey," Dacuel called, "why did you climb the mountain?"

"… wrong question," Frisk said.

He climbed the stairs and walked through the CORE, followed by the others. Eventually, he found the exit and returned to the outside. The morning sun lit the CORE's surroundings in an orange light. Cathleen and her allies were there, waiting. As Frisk approached, Cathleen reached out her hand.

Frisk reached back.

His former allies watched the scene with various expressions of shock and horror. Chara, Asriel, and Asgore stared with their mouths agape. Undyne's shoulders heaved. Mettaton and Mad Mew Mew clenched their fists. Dacuel and Atami held their heads down. Felicia and Tevis glared hatefully. Elodie pressed her hands against her mouth. Tears fell from Napstablook's eyes, and Sans sighed.

"F-Frisk," Chara sobbed. "Come back."

Frisk couldn't do that.

"Don't go."

Alpin was among them. Frisk looked at him and held up three fingers.

"Frisk, please…"

Two fingers.

"Don't leave me…"

One finger.

" _FRISK!_ "

With a flash of light, Frisk left them behind.

* * *

… _what just happened?_

Chara held her pounding chest. What she had just seen… that couldn't have been real. The hundreds of battles must have done something to her head. Surely, Frisk would never do something like that. He would never side with someone like Cathleen. No, this was just a nightmare, and someone needed to wake her up already.

She pinched her arm. It felt real. Why did it feel real? It shouldn't have been real. It _wasn't_ real. Why did it hurt so…?

Asriel grabbed her shoulder. "Chara, this is happening."

She shook her head. "No, he wouldn't -"

"He did," Asriel said. "I don't like it, but we have to face it."

"He wouldn't -"

"Frisk betrayed us."

Chara fell silent. Was this real? How could it be real? Frisk had always weighed his decisions carefully, always considered the consequences, and never thought himself above them. He wasn't a power-hungry fool like Cathleen, so why would he side with her?

… but Frisk couldn't handle losing someone he cared about. To save Mother, perhaps…

"Fuck!"

Chara cupped her face and breathed heavily. The signs had been there. The discomfort, the hesitation, the doubt, it had all been there in plain sight. Chara had just refused to see it. She never could have fathomed this outcome, and now she was paying the price for it.

They all were.

Through watery eyes, Chara glanced at Gaster.

"Was this part of your plan?"

* * *

" **You didn't really think I'd leave you for her, did you?"**

**\- Frisk**


	6. No Fighting in the War Room

Asriel stepped into the lab room and found Chara. She lied sideways on a table with a blank look on her face. He approached her slowly. Chara's gaze didn't shift, but she spoke.

"Asriel, do you ever feel like nothing you do matters? That no matter what choices you make, you will never get what you want?"

It may have not have been a happy question, but Asriel was glad that Chara was at least talking to him. _No matter what choices I make, huh?_ He certainly knew the feeling. Of course, back during his childhood, he could get worked up over trivial things like games he couldn't win or chores he didn't like, but the first time he had truly felt that way had to be about Chara. Even after she had grown to trust him, he had known that she was still unhappy inside, and no matter what he did, he couldn't make that darkness go away. All he knew was that she hated humanity, but she never explained why. It was infuriating.

The second time had been while he was Flowey. With the power of resets, he had done just about everything he had wanted, except he could never get Asgore to surrender the souls he had captured. He had done all sorts of things to get them, but no matter how hard he tried - what lengths he went to - he failed every time. It wasn't until Frisk came along when he finally found a way. If it weren't for that, he may have remained trapped Underground forever.

And now, he was feeling it again, because it seemed that they would never bring Mom back.

"I won't say we are _completely_ powerless," Chara said. "We all have the power to choose, but we cannot choose our choices. Fate hands us a series of paths, and it is up to us to decide which path we walk. However, we are still confined by the limited options laid out for us. In the end, we're just choosing if we want A, B, or C. That's all there is. A, B, or C. None of us are truly in control."

"… isn't that a bit cynical?" Asriel asked. "I would like to think I do more than pick a path. I would rather carve my own."

"If that were possible, no one would have died, and Frisk would still be here."

"Well, maybe we can't do _anything_ , but -"

"No," Chara said. "We can't do anything."

"… I mean, there's gotta be more than A, B, and C," Asriel said. "I'm sure there's _at least_ a full A-to-Z selection to choose from. And if each of those choices branch into more choices, that's a _lot_ of options. It'd take countless resets to get bored of that. Trust me, I know. There's plenty you can do if you try."

"But is there an ending where we defeat Cathleen and take Frisk back?"

Asriel pursed his lips. "I didn't say it was going to be easy."

Chara curled up. "I don't know what scares me more. The possibility that there is no chance, or that there _is_ a chance, but I'll screw it up."

"Don't worry about failing so much. Just do your best."

"I suppose if we do fail, then at least we have the sweet release of death to look forward to." She grimaced. "Actually, no. Cathleen won't even offer us that mercy."

"Umm, yeah," Asriel said. "Which is why we should do everything we can to stop her, right?"

"Even if it's impossible?" Chara asked.

" _Especially_ if it's impossible."

She shook her head. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Does it need to?" Asriel asked.

"Heh." Chara sat up. "Do not misunderstand. My heart may be broken, but that doesn't mean I'm going to lay down and die. Our enemies need to be punished for everything they've taken from us. If their defeat is a possible outcome, I will do everything in my power to get that ending."

Asriel beamed. "That's great, Chara...!" He looked away in embarrassment. "But, what is your plan, exactly?"

"Still working out the details," Chara said, "but essentially, we kill Cathleen, kill her followers, kill Alpin, and beat some sense into Frisk."

"R-right, but how do we do… any of that? What do we do about their resets?"

"We have anti-SAVE weapons, do we not? We just need find their World Master and shoot them with the damn things."

"Yeah, but how do we find them?" Asriel asked.

"They will all have to show themselves eventually," Chara said. "At some point, another demon will overtake the current World Master, forcing that enemy to go into hiding. If we just had some way to track them…"

"Oh, you mean, like, some kind of spy gadget?" Asriel asked.

"Something on those lines, yes," Chara said, "but I doubt a simple tracking beacon would work. They will certainly be wary of such devices, but if we had something they couldn't detect…"

An undetectable tracking device? Asriel wasn't an expert on these things, but he couldn't think of anything…

Wait…

Chara's face lit up. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Asriel nodded. "Gaster…"

Chara nodded back. "He has some way of spying on us, does he not? I don't know how, but he knew what we were planning. I wouldn't be surprised if he's listening right now." She looked up and shouted to the air. "Isn't that right, Gaster?!"

After a brief pause, a dark cloud materialized, and Gaster appeared. His expression was flat, and he spoke with an irate tone to match. "Nothing gets past you."

"So, how do you do it?" Chara asked.

Gaster sighed and snapped his fingers. Asriel glanced around; nothing was happening. What was…?

Chara sniffled. Her mouth agape, she breathed awkwardly. "H-ha…? Haaa…. ACHOOO!"

Something flew out of Chara's nostrils, some sort of white, gooey mass. It hovered in the air, and Asriel saw that it had several faces bunched up inside, many of which gave a creepy smile much like Gaster's. It also gave off a strange odor. It smelled like... batteries?

Asriel had seen it before; it was one of the creatures that had been hidden in Alphys's basement. But Asriel wasn't sure if it was an amalgamate like the others. Unlike the rest, Gaster's face was the only resemblance he saw in it.

Gaster cupped the bottom of it with his punctured hand. "This is a Memoryhead, an extension of my consciousness."

Chara wiped her nose and eyed the 'Memoryhead' with disgust. "You put that thing inside me? I feel violated."

"A necessary measure," Gaster said.

"Whatever," Chara snarled. "Just explain why you haven't given these to the enemy."

"I can't advise that," Gaster said. "Do you not remember the rules of this engagement? If I take part in this battle, Alpin will kill you, and you _will not_ defeat him."

"Then let us do it," Chara said.

Gaster paused. "How… do you even think that possible?"

"Come on; how difficult can it be? Convert these 'Memoryheads' into a form we can wield. We will plant them into each enemy one-by-one, track their location, and when the time comes, we hit all of them with an anti-SAVE weapon. They all lose the power to reset, we finish them off, and then we win."

Asriel looked at Chara with admiration. She had come up with all of that so quickly? She really was amazing.

"You think it so simple?" Gaster asked. "I've already said that Memoryheads are fragments of my own mind. It would be impossible for you to control..." He stroked his jawbone. "Although, perhaps if I make them operate autonomously… yes, this just might work."

"What might work?" Asriel asked.

"Memoryheads are not some spell that I can teach you," Gaster said. "You cannot summon them; you cannot command them. However, if I have them behave like a parasite, you may spread them to our enemies."

"Like a parasite?" Chara asked. "You're telling me I need to cough on Cathleen?"

"That is one possible vector, yes," Gaster said. "I recommend direct contact with the target's nasal region; that is the easiest way to -"

"You've gotta be kidding me."

Gaster huffed. "You asked for a way to wield Memoryheads; this is it."

Asriel felt a bit lost. "So, hold on, you're saying that you'll infect us with your Memoryheads, and we have to pass it on like a cold?"

"Essentially," Gaster answered.

"And that's really it?" Asriel asked. "We just gotta get them sick?"

"That is the idea, yes."

"Fine," Chara said. "If it means stopping Cathleen, I will slather every last drop of my mucus all over her face."

"Do not forget to be discreet," Gaster said.

"Oh, yeah," Asriel said. "How do you know they won't notice these Memoryheads? Isn't Alpin, like, the grand wizard or something?"

"Alpin may be an accomplished mage," Gaster said, "but he has no knowledge of my Memoryheads. Avoid arousing suspicion, and he will not detect them."

"And if we do arouse suspicion?" Chara asked.

"I cannot guarantee anything," Gaster said.

"Wow," Chara said. "That's a first."

Gaster's punctured hands clenched. "You would do well not to mock me."

"Is that a fact?" Chara sneered. "It was _your_ arrogance that brought everything to this point. You thought you could predict how everyone would act. You thought you could keep screwing us over without any retribution, and because of you, Frisk has turned to Cathleen's side. He destroyed your precious machine, because he can no longer tolerate your tyrannical leadership, sacrificing everyone we love for the 'greater good.' You brought that upon yourself. _I hope you're fucking proud._ "

Asriel had to admit, it was satisfying to see Gaster receive a well-deserved roasting.

Gaster stared coldly back at Chara. "If you had seen what I've seen, you would know that -"

Chara raised her middle finger.

Gaster sighed. "I admit that recent events have not gone as I had anticipated, but it is imperative that we recover. Are you going to spend all day disparaging me, or are you going to fight?"

"In due time," Chara said. "Let us gather the others and discuss our plan. We _will_ defeat Cathleen, and save Frisk."

"Good luck with that," Gaster said. "Even if you forgive Frisk, can you expect the others to do the same? Undyne is calling for Frisk's head as we speak."

… after a long pause, Chara placed a hand over her chest. She whimpered. "I know, but…" A tear ran down her cheek. "I-I…"

Frowning, Asriel pulled her into an embrace. "I-I'm so confused," Chara sobbed. "I should hate him, should I not? He betrayed us; he murdered Alphys. I sh-should curse his r-rotten name; wh-why can't I?"

"You don't have to -"

"That's what Mother did. When Father announced his plan, she hated his guts. It didn't matter that he had his reasons. It didn't matter that he just wanted to give everyone hope. One wrong move, and she despised him. Why can't I be like her? Why am I so weak?"

"I-I wouldn't say she hated _him_ ," Asriel said. "She was just…"

"Disgusted," Chara said. "She was disgusted with him, and she would never, _ever,_ be with him again, because she knew that there had to be consequences. I should feel the same way, but… if Frisk were to walk back in here, I'd welcome him with open arms… I want him back… I want him back… _I want him back! Give him back!_ "

Chara broke down, clutching Asriel's robe and wailing into his shoulder. Asriel kept holding her while she let it out. She sniffled. "Wh-what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you," Asriel whispered. "I don't want to hurt Frisk, either."

"B-but, he needs to be punished. We cannot simply forgive him, so wh-why do I feel like I a-already have?"

There were many things Asriel could have said. He could have reminded her that Frisk intended to save everyone in the end. He could have said that good people sometimes did bad things for the right reasons, but it all felt like an excuse. Maybe logic wasn't the answer here.

"If you forgive Frisk," Asriel said, "that's because you want to. You don't need to justify it; just do what your heart wants."

"… just do what I want?" Chara asked. "But what if what I want is wrong?"

"There isn't always a right or wrong answer," Asriel said. "Whether you forgive Frisk is up to you. Don't worry about making the 'right' choice; worry about making _your_ choice."

"… I see," Chara whispered. "I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I _will_ bring Frisk back to our side. As for his punishment… I suppose we can cross that bridge when we get to it."

"Yeah," Asriel said. "You don't need to decide right away. Take your time."

Chara wiped her eyes and let go of Asriel. "Okay…"

Gaster let out a long, pained sigh. "Are you quite done with your therapy session? At this rate, the enemy will win before you even leave this facility. I advise that you get to work."

"Hey, Gaster?" Asriel gave him his warmest smile. "Go fuck yourself, okay?"

* * *

Once the light cleared, Frisk found himself standing in a dim concrete hallway. He saw no windows, just rows of metal doors. It looked like a military base. Well, if this was where the Garnet Demons were hiding, it basically was.

He felt something metal jab into his back. "No sudden movements," Cathleen ordered. "Move slowly into the second room on the right."

Frisk clicked his tongue. After going so far, this was how they were treating him? "You don't trust me? Take a look at my EXP."

With Alphys dead, Frisk was now LV 12. Turned out that blowing up a CEO was worth quite a few points. In fact, Frisk sensed that he…

**FILE CREATED**

At last, the ace up his sleeve had returned.

Syleth - or was it Everette? - clicked his tongue. "I don't care who you killed. Be grateful we let you draw breath."

"I must ask you to excuse Syleth's curtness," Cathleen said, "but what he says is true. As you are an outsider, it's only natural that we take basic precautions."

"Fine," Frisk grumbled.

Cathleen nodded towards Seth and Alpin. "Search him, then take him to the war room for questioning."

Seth bowed. "Right away." He gently held Frisk's shoulder. "Come on."

Frisk let Seth and Alpin lead him to the room Cathleen had instructed. It was a locker room. Once they were inside, Seth closed the door and ordered Frisk to turn out his pockets and strip down to his underwear. Frisk wasn't in the mood to crack any jokes. He did as instructed, turning over his phone and baton before removing his clothes. Seth took them and retrieved some rectangular handheld device from a locker. Meanwhile, Alpin approached Frisk and waved his staff, enveloping Frisk is a white aura.

"No sign of any active spells," Alpin said.

The device in Seth's hand buzzed as he held it above Frisk's clothes. "Clean here." He brought the device to Frisk and scanned him with it as well. "Clean here…"

More time passed. After a painfully thorough examination, they allowed Frisk to redress, and then they escorted him back out into the hallway. Frisk still didn't see a single window. Soon, he stepped into a room with a long wooden table in the center. Every one of the surviving Garnet Demons, even Elara, was present, though a few seats remained unfilled. Cathleen sat at the head of the table, and Seth showed Frisk to the opposite end. As he took his seat, Cathleen spoke. "Is it done?"

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't," Frisk answered.

"You expect us to take your word?" the one who presumably was Syleth asked. "Where's your proof?"

Frisk clenched his fists. _Didn't I tell you?_ was what he wanted to say, but he thought better of it. "Video's on my phone."

Seth nodded and handed it to Frisk. He took it and entered the code to unlock it.

"Don't get any funny ideas," Syleth said. "All signals here are jammed; no one will find you."

Resisting the urge to slam his fist into Syleth's face, Frisk played a recording of the… incident and laid his phone on the table. It began as he walked into the inner lab.

Frisk averted his eyes while it played. Though the video was blank, he could hear Dacuel confront him. The Garnet Demons listened as the encounter grew more tense. Frisk winced the moment he heard himself strike Alphys. Gunfire immediately followed. They heard Dacuel and Felicia shouting, then Chara, then…

Video appeared once Frisk pulled out his phone, showing the Editor. A moment later, the Garnet Demons watched it explode into pieces, along with Alphys.

Cathleen watched the scene with a blank stare. Frisk wondered what was going on in her head. Was she shocked? Elated? Satisfied? Relieved? Frisk didn't know. All Cathleen did was nod. "Target destruction confirmed."

While Cathleen maintained her composure, her followers weren't so calm. Loud, weary sighs rang out across the room.

"Fucking finally…"

"I thought that would never end."

"If I have to set foot in that place one more time…"

Syleth, however, stared at the phone with a skeptical scowl. "How do we know this is real? We've all seen at least a few movies since awakening in this generation; we know how much they love explosions. Who's to say this isn't some doctored illusion? Like one of their countless action movies?"

Frisk opened his mouth to tell him off, but Cathleen spoke first. "With that level of fidelity?" she challenged. "In that little time? Doubtful. Furthermore, the causality shown in the video is consistent with Frisk's increase in EXP. I see no reason to suspect its authenticity."

Syleth huffed. "So quick to trust him? That's not like you."

"Trust is earned," Cathleen said, "and through his actions, Frisk has earned at least a modicum of it. If the death shown in the video is a mere fabrication, how do you believe he reached LV 12?"

Syleth shrugged. "How should I know? Death row maybe?"

"Really? You believe that the Government would allow a demon to execute criminals and harvest EXP?"

"W-well…" Syleth opened his mouth to retort, but when he could find none, he slumped in his chair and folded his arms. "One way or another, he's a traitor."

After a brief silence, Cathleen addressed her followers. "Is there anyone else who doubts Frisk's intentions?"

"… u-umm." Elara spoke up. "This might sound weird coming from one of us, but… I'm just really surprised you'd do that, Frisk. What made you decide to help us?"

Yeah, that was a question. Frisk stood and faced the Garnet Demons with fire in his eyes. "First of all, let's make one thing clear; we are _not_ friends. I'm here because you took something from me, and working with you is the only way I can get it back. I didn't want to go down this path, but you forced me to. I will make sure you keep you promise and return everything you've taken, and if I have any reason to believe you will break that promise, I won't let any of you stand in my way."

Frisk glanced at Syleth. He'd expected him to react harshly to his blatant threat, but Syleth merely chuckled in amusement. "Not bad, but let me correct one little detail. We did not force you to do anything. You chose this."

Frisk felt blood rush to his cheeks. After everything they had done, everything they had taken, they _dared_ tell him it was his choice?! " _You started this!_ " he screamed. "Everything was fine until you _fuckers_ came along! _You're_ the ones who started killing! _You're_ the ones who killed Toriel! _You're_ the reason why I had to betray everyone! If it weren't for you, I'd still be with them! I… I wouldn't have had to…"

As the image of Alphys bursting into dust flashed in his mind, a horrible reality sunk in. Even if he saved everyone, they would never forgive him. To them, the ends wouldn't justify the means. From now on, they would look at him and see nothing but a treacherous murderer. Nothing he could do would change that. He could undo the deaths, but he could never take back his betrayal. That couldn't be undone. It couldn't…

Elara frowned. "I… well, it wouldn't be fair to say 'I'm sorry,' but I know how hard this must be for you, and I know you must hate us. Still, we're not gonna back down. Sometimes, things have to get worse before they get better."

Frisk felt a tear trace down his cheek. He wanted someone - anyone - to latch on to, but he had no one. No love, no comfort, he was all alone. E-even Chara…

Syleth rolled his eyes. "God, this guy's more broken than the orange one. Let's put him out of his misery and be done with -"

" _Don't touch him!_ " Cathleen shouted, rising from her seat. Her cry was so fierce that everyone's heads turned. Her eyebrows furrowed intensely as she stared daggers into Syleth. "That is an _order!_ "

Syleth blinked. "Why are you so insistent on protecting him? Even if he is telling the truth, he's outlived his usefulness, hasn't he? The best we can use him for is EXP fodder; I'm sure he'll still fetch a decent amount."

Frisk barred his teeth at him. He had given up everything to help them, and this was the thanks he got? They were just going to kill him? How could they…?

… but from an objective standpoint, it was only logical. By destroying the Editor, he had already served his purpose. With that objective fulfilled, he had nothing left to offer. Only one demon needed to Ascend, and they already had a room full of them. Maybe he was more useful to them dead than alive.

But if he let them kill him, he wouldn't be able to watch them. He wouldn't be able to make sure they saved everyone. Frisk had gambled everything on them, but he couldn't just leave everything in their hands. He had to see this through to the end.

Cathleen didn't waver as she continued to face Syleth. "Do not be so rash to write off his value. You should know well the pain of fighting a former friend. With Frisk by our side, at least a few of our enemies will be more hesitant to attack. Keeping him alive is strictly for our benefit."

"Hmph, that's what you think?" Syleth challenged. "I say they'll be _less_ hesitant to strike him down."

"Are you certain?" Cathleen asked. "Is it so easy for you to kill Dacuel? If it truly meant ending his life, could you do it?"

"If he killed one of us," Syleth said, "without question."

Frisk gave Syleth a deathly glare. "You want to kill me? Go ahead and try, but it won't be so simple."

Syleth raised an eyebrow. "That won't save you."

"That's enough!" Cathleen yelled. "This is not up for debate! Frisk has proven himself trustworthy, and unless given reason to believe otherwise, we will allow him to join our cause!"

Frisk looked at Cathleen with his mouth agape. Why _was_ she so eager to defend him? He really didn't have much left to offer. He'd just be one more demon in their service, nothing more, yet Cathleen was acting like everything depended on him. Why was he so important? He didn't understand.

Syleth sighed and folded his arms. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but when he stabs us all in the back, don't come crying to me."

Cathleen scanned the room. "Is there anyone else who objects?"

Several tense moments passed. Whether they accepted Cathleen's decision or were too afraid to oppose her, Frisk didn't know. It seemed no one was going to speak until Elara raised her hand.

"U-umm," Elara stuttered, "I just want to say…" She smiled. "Thank you for joining us, Frisk. I swear we'll make it up to you."

_Yeah, you better._ These people were putting Frisk - everyone - through hell. It was up to him to make sure they cleaned up their mess.

Or he'd take it into his own hands.

* * *

**"Become one of us!"**

**-**


	7. All or Nothing

Two golden urns sat on an altar, illuminated by candlelight. Beside each was a portrait, Toriel on the left, and Alphys on the right. Chara and the others stood solemnly before them. There wasn't much they could do until Cathleen showed herself, so they had decided to honor the departed while they still could. Chara clasped her hands together as they fidgeted nervously. She… figured some closure would help.

"Umm, does anyone want to say something?" Elodie asked.

After a moment of silence, Mettaton was the first to speak. "Guess I'll start." He rolled over to the altar and faced everyone, with no lights on his screen. "So, uh, as you all know, we're here to mourn the passing of Toriel, our former Queen, and… Alphys, our former Royal Scientist. Admittedly, I never knew Toriel well, but I can tell she cared deeply for her children, and for Fri…"

He cleared his throat, not that he had one. "Back when we were trapped Underground, we all had dreams of what we would do if we made it to the surface. Not all of us have realized those dreams, but Toriel was fortunate enough to have achieved hers. Free of the Ruins, she was able to be the teacher that she always wanted to be, loved by no small number of students, and she was able to do what she had never thought possible, watch her children grow to adulthood. That said, it is still a tragedy that her life was ended here, and she will be missed."

Chara's chest tightened. She couldn't say that she had expected anything so heartfelt from Mettaton. He was hardly the type to put others before himself. What had brought this on?

"A-as for Alphys," Mettaton continued, "well, how could you ask for more? After being fired as the Royal Scientist, she bounced back and became the founder and CEO of her own company. Some humans were skeptical that monsters - isolated from the greater world for millennia - could possibly match them in technological prowess, but boy did Alphys prove them wrong. AlTech's share price _soared_ within weeks of its founding; yours truly might have gotten a cozy little piece of that himself. Her advancements in dimensional storage, energy production, and r-robotics will change the world for generations to come. W-we should all be thankful for e-everything that she has done for me…

"… _us_. I-I mean _us_ , of course. I know how hard this must be for some of you, b-but don't worry about me. Alphys and I w-weren't close or anything. She just… made my new body; that's all. It was a s-strictly professional relationship. I'm n-not broken up about it at all, h-haha…

"… e-excuse me. My v-vocal processor seems to be m-malfunctioning. I'll g-get out of your way now."

Mettaton quietly rolled back into the crowd. Now Chara understood. Mettaton was never going to lose sleep over Toriel's death, but that was only natural. Their connection ran no deeper than plush dolls of Toriel's body with Mettaton's face. Alphys, on the other hand, had a much closer relationship with Mettaton than he cared to admit, so it was a small wonder that her death phased him more. Alphys had been more important to him.

Chara knew better than to resent him for it; she wasn't a hypocrite. She certainly didn't value all lives equally, but…

_Is that why you've sided with her, Frisk? You've decided that it's acceptable to risk everything if it means saving the ones close to you?_

Yes, in Frisk's mind, it was all or nothing. That fool - she loved him - but that _fool._

Did he really think he could have everything he wanted?

Did he really think he could have infinite power, and not pay a price?

That _idiot._

"Uh, anyone else?" Elodie called.

Undyne raised her hand and walked to the altar. Her yellow eyes seething with rage, she gave a single declaration.

"I will have Frisk's head."

No further words came. That was all she had to say? Chara's fists tightened. "You think I'll allow that?"

"You think I'll allow Alphys's murderer to get away?" Undyne shot back. "I wasn't able to save her, but I _will_ avenge her. And if you stand in my way, I'll kill you too."

_So, this is what it comes down to?_ Chara reached into her pocket. "I always liked you, Undyne." The glint of her knife reflected in her eyes. "But Frisk is more important."

As alarmed gasps rang out, a blue spear glowed in Undyne's hand. "Hmph. You hated humanity more than any monster, yet you wish to die for that piece of shit? How ironic."

"H-hey! What are you doing?!" Asriel yelled. "Put the weapons away! Both of you!"

Ignoring Asriel, Chara and Undyne kept their gazes fixed on each other. Chara didn't like this, but backing down wasn't an option. "I'll protect what I hold dear," Chara said. "A much more compelling cause that pointless revenge."

Undyne snarled. "Pointless, is it? And how do you expect to win Frisk back? Go ahead; I'm listening!"

"… I don't know," Chara said. "But I won't give up on him."

For a brief moment, Undyne's eyes widened, but her brow furrowed and the grip on her spear grew even tighter. "Hmph, that's a pipe dream. Frisk has gone too far. The only way to stop him is to end him. If you really love him, you won't let him tarnish his memory any further!"

"Lay a finger on him and I'll…!"

Dacuel jumped in between them with his arms raised. "Hey, now! If we waste energy fighting each other, none of us will get what we want. How about we do this the democratic way? Let's all come together and discuss what to do about Frisk until we reach an agreement."

Undyne huffed. "This isn't negotiable. Frisk dies."

She was right about one thing. This was _not_ a debate. No matter who tried, Chara wasn't going to let anyone kill Frisk.

"Okay, that's one vote for 'Kill Frisk on Sight,'" Dacuel said. "What does everyone else think?"

_Even if every one of them stands against me, I won't…_

"Umm…" Asriel stepped to Chara's side. "I can't honestly say I know what the right choice is, but I do know what choice I _want_ to make. And I think it would be a shame to give up on Frisk now."

Asgore also stood with Chara. "Yes, let's not forget who the true enemy is."

Chara whimpered. "Father…"

Napstablook joined them. "Even if he's bad now… I think it'll be sad to turn our backs on Frisk after all the good he's done."

Them, too? Chara hadn't expected…

"HEY!" Mew screamed. "Blooky! How can you defend that psycho?! _He made Metty cry!_ " She furiously stomped her feet. "Horrible! Vile! Despicable! Atrocious! Unacceptable! _Unacceptable!_ Must pay, must repent! Punish, punish, punish!" She ran to Undyne's side. " _Frisk dies!_ "

Fire returned to Chara's crimson eyes. So it wasn't going to be a fairy tale moment where everyone came to her aid. No matter. She wouldn't let them…

"M-mew, wait," Mettaton called. "I'm glad you're sticking up for me, but -"

"Metty," Mew said in a singsong voice. "I know you're a selfless specter who only thinks about others, but you need to stand up for yourself sometimes! Don't let them walk over you! Be assertive! Get what you want! When someone takes what you love, make them pay with their life! Anyone as humble as you are deserves to be treated with respect!"

Chara looked at her with exhausted eyes. Humble? That was a joke, right?

"B-but that's not what I want!" Mettaton said. "I mean, I can't say Frisk is my favorite person right now, but Cathleen is the real -"

" _They will all pay!_ " Mew screeched. "Every last one of them will pay!"

"Not happening!" Chara yelled.

Felicia's eyes darted between both sides as if they were all insane. "Now, hold on. Let's be reasonable about this. I don't want to kill Frisk, but we might not have a choice. This is war; we need to be prepared for whatever happens."

With a frown, Elodie nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense…"

Chara grimaced, unable to look them in the eyes. "I don't want to hear you say that."

"I don't know," Sans said. "Seems pretty sensible to me. Frisk may not have asked for this fight, but he still chose to betray us. No one forced him to side with Cathleen; he did that on his own. It might not be so easy to change his mind. Even if he was our friend, we might have to kill him for the greater good. Shouldn't we accept that?"

Chara glared at him. "Then why isn't Papyrus here?"

Sans titled his skull. "Papyrus? What does he have to do with it?"

"If we must risk everything, then why isn't Papyrus here? He is not useless in battle. He could have helped us, but you didn't ask. Why? Because you were not willing to put his life on the line."

"That's kind of a reach. Papyrus isn't an enemy we have to strike down."

"But if he were, could you kill him?"

Sans closed his eyes and chuckled. "You're really greedy, aren't you?"

Chara blinked. "Huh?"

"You're right, I can't choose between Papyrus and the world. I've gotta save both, because there are times when we can't settle for cutting our losses, when we refuse to let go of what we want, no matter what happens. Sometimes, it's all or nothing."

"Wh-what are you saying?" Chara asked.

"Heh, geez," Sans said. "Do you really need me to spell it out for you?"

… Chara cringed the moment she felt something salty sting her eyes. "No! This is not as it appears! I just…"

Sans winked. "Whatever you say, crybaby."

She breathed deeply. "Thank you."

That was four people on Chara's side. Maybe that was enough. Her heart still heavy, Chara turned to Felicia. "I don't know what will happen, but I know what I wish to protect. Even if our priorities differ, will you at least try to save him?"

Solemnly, Felicia nodded. "I will try, but I won't put him first."

Chara nodded back. "I suppose I can't ask more than that." She glanced at Undyne. "You, however…"

Undyne shook her head. "I see justice has lost all meaning here. Disgusting." She turned away. "I'm going to avenge my wife. Anyone else who wishes to do something sensible, feel free to join me. Otherwise, stay out of my way."

Chara's eyes widened. "You're leaving?"

"Not wasting any more time with you morons," Undyne said.

_Should I stop her?_ Chara kept a firm grip on her knife, but… she didn't want to use it. Despite her tough façade, no blade was heavier than one pointed at a friend. Could Chara really strike her down if it meant protecting Frisk?

If pushed to the edge, perhaps.

But this wasn't it.

Chara lowered her knife. "If you force my hand, I _will_ kill you."

"You're gonna have to try harder than that." Undyne started walking. "I will have Frisk's head."

Chara folded her arms and smirked. "The only one who may have Frisk's head is me."

Cringing, Asriel buried his red face into the palm of his hand. "Not the time…"

Undyne stopped. "Frisk has murdered one so far. You may not think him beyond redemption yet, but how will you feel as his body count continues to grow? As a mountain of corpses piles beneath his feet, will you still call for mercy? The thought sickens me."

A deep pit formed in Chara's stomach. Undyne wasn't wrong; Alphys probably wouldn't be the last of Frisk's victims. If he really was committed to Cathleen's side, he would go on killing. Could Chara - could anyone in their right mind - forgive him for that?

Then again, since when had Chara ever been sane?

As Undyne left, Mew was the only one to follow. She turned back towards Mettaton and waved. "Don't worry, Metty. Your cousin is going to make everything better."

"W-wait!" Mettaton called. "I don't want you to…!"

"Byyyyeeeeee!"

Undyne and Mew headed out the lab room door. Chara sighed. She didn't know what they expected to accomplish on their own, but she'd keep an eye out for them.

"Whew!" Dacuel whooped. "That could have gone better, but at least no one was hurt, right?"

Chara shot him a quizzical look. Dacuel was still an enigma that she couldn't comprehend; she still wasn't sure if she could trust him. There was something she had to ask. "You know what I don't understand? How _did_ you know that Frisk was going to turn on us?"

Dacuel smiled. "I didn't _know_ what Frisk was planning, but I knew there was a possibility. How? My sharp instincts and intuition are unparalleled! Nothing gets past Dacuel, World's Greatest Detective!

"… is what I'd like to say, but it was actually pretty obvious if you just… looked at him. It was in his eyes, you know? The whole time, he had the face of someone weighing their options, struggling to find their motivation, and he was not very good at hiding it. Not to offend you, but you couldn't see it because you trusted him too much. You were too close to him. The thought of Frisk betraying you couldn't possible cross your mind, but since I lacked that attachment, I was able to see the threat among us. That's why you should never underestimate an outsider."

Chara winced painfully at the accusation, but she couldn't deny it. She was well-aware of her failure, though it still stung knowing that a complete stranger understood Frisk better than she did.

"But wait," Chara said, "if you perceived Frisk as so suspicious, why didn't you…?" But as soon as she said it out loud, Chara understood.

Dacuel nodded. "Of course, I couldn't just come out and tell you this. There was no way you would have believed me. Had I tried to convince you that Frisk might be a traitor, you would have accused me of trying to divide and sabotage you. You were already reluctant to trust me; I didn't want to make myself even more sus. Although, I was able to find _someone_ to confide with." He glanced at Felicia. "Really, there was only one person who I could turn to. The only former World Master here who wasn't too attached to Frisk, someone who knew the feeling of betrayal."

Chara glanced between the two. "So, you both watched Frisk in secret, attempting to stop him in case your hunch was correct." She sighed. "At this point, I just wish you had succeeded."

"Indeed," Dacuel said, "but what's done is done. Although some experts disagree, lives aren't so easy to bring back. All we can do is move forward."

Yes, move forward. That's what Frisk needed to remember.

"Machines, however…" Dacuel glanced at the Editor's wreckage. "Hey, Dr. Evil, got a question for you."

Gaster approached and spoke with a deadpan tone. "What?"

"Your machine," Dacuel said, "can't you fix it?"

"Fix, no," Gaster answered. "Replace? Yes, but it will take time. These machines are not cheap. Unless Cathleen proceeds with an unfathomable abundance of caution, we will have to defeat her before it's ready."

"Okay," Dacuel said, "then why don't we grab one of the copies out there? Didn't they make hundreds for the Bulk Edit? I'm pretty sure you didn't operate on a million monsters with a single machine."

"Those are not true replicas," Gaster said. "They are designed for one purpose and one purpose only. Any attempt to tamper with them will result in the machine's immediate self-destruction."

"Oh," Dacuel said, "so if we wanted to, say, undo the change preventing monsters from absorbing souls, then the only machine that could do that…"

"… is now a heap of scrap," Gaster finished.

"Hmm, no easy way out, then?" Dacuel asked.

"If I've learned anything from this war," Gaster said, "it's that this timeline is a pain in the ass." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial filled with a white substance.

"However, it may not yet be hopeless."

* * *

Hundreds of miles west of Ebott was a wealthy neighborhood called Pinewood. Lavish mansions littered the hilly landscape all over. On most nights, it was not difficult to find lively parties raging inside the opulent properties, but tonight, a tense silence loomed over Pinewood.

In one of these manors, a family of five sat at a dining room table. The home was filled with awards and paraphernalia for various media. There was a poster titled, _Adventures of the Gerbil King,_ staring Lenny Winks, as well as a golden 'Best Actor' award for the same star. Other posters featured 'Ames the Magician' plastered with rave reviews for his performances mixing practical illusions with real magic. Both subjects were seated at the table.

One, Lenny Winks, was a bipedal gerbil monster. He had a slender body, beady eyes, thin whiskers, and brownish-gray fur, and he wore a gray dress suit with a yellow tie.

The other was Lenny's husband, Ames. He was a cat monster with blueish-purple fur. He wore a brown robe, an orange scarf, and an orange patch over his left eye.

Also at the table were their three adoptive children. One was Raltu, a moth monster with a black shell, six glowing blue eyes, and three pairs of legs with razor-sharp claws. The second was Golly, a green-colored rock golem. Despite being their youngest, she was already seven feet tall and had a thick, round body, and the third was Tim, a thirteen-year-old human with shortish dark brown hair and purple eyes. He wore a burgundy cloak over a bright red shirt and a black wizard's hat.

As Lenny ate a spoonful of assorted plant seeds, Golly asked him a question. "Daddy? When will school open?"

Lenny sighed. "I don't know."

"Why not?"

How was he supposed to answer that? _Sorry, dear. You can't go to school because a bunch of demons showed up and started killing everyone in sight. We're all on lockdown until someone takes them down, so just sit tight and be a good girl, okay?_

"Heh, heh…" Tim tipped his hat. "Isn't it obvious? The lockdown will end once the demon menace is defeated! And who might vanquish them, you ask?" He grabbed his wooden magical staff and raised it high. "Tremble in fear, demons! You may think you can kill whoever you please, but it is _you_ that will become EXP for I, Tim, the greatest master of…!"

Lenny interrupted his chuunibyou son with gentle but firm smack to the head. "You're not going anywhere."

"B-but I can stop them!" Tim protested. "One blast from me, and they'll all be reduced to cinders!"

Although hard to believe, Tim was actually a prodigy when it came to magical talent, but he was still just a kid. There was no way Lenny was going to let him charge into the frontlines against mass murdering demons. No chance in hell.

"Disagreement," Raltu said. "This one advises restraint. Unstable One has yet to realize combat readiness. Demon threat must be handled by -"

"No one asked you!" Tim snapped. "I could take every last one of those demons myself! Just watch me!"

Ames chuckled. "Is that so? Tim the Hero, fighting off a demon army. That would be quite a sight to behold."

Lenny scowled. "Don't encourage him."

"Ha ha, I was only musing," Ames said. "Besides, it makes little difference who wins. Even if these demons are defeated, more will take their place. It's only a matter of time until one of them comes out on top."

Lenny shot him a concerned look. "Even for you, isn't that a bit cynical?"

"They can't be held off forever," Ames said. "One day, you too will begin to realize the futility of their actions. Hahaha… at that time, let's all gather here. I'll make more tea…" He raised his glass. "And we can toast… to the end of the world!"

Beads of sweat formed on Lenny head. _The… end of the world?_

That wasn't going to happen, was it?

Tim blinked. "That's some dark shit, Dad."

Raltu clicked their mandibles. "This one finds that… unfavorable."

"Dad?" Golly called. "Why do the demons want to end the world?"

Lenny didn't know much about those creatures, only that they had brutally massacred over a hundred people as part of their conquest for world domination, or something. He didn't really get how demons could become so powerful, and he didn't really want to. He certainly couldn't wrap his head around 'resurrecting the dead' or whatever. It was all bullshit to him. As far as he was concerned, they were nothing more than a bunch of deluded psychopaths.

"I don't know what to tell you," Lenny said. "Some people just have a few screws loose. No point trying to make sense of -"

_BANG!_

Lenny jumped as a loud crash boomed; it was the front door. Something had… blown it off its hinges, knocking it down to the floor. A figure stood outside, shrouded in darkness. His heart pounding, Lenny froze stiff in terror.

_Wh-what's going on?_

Tim immediately brandished his wizard's staff and pointed it at the figure. " _Intruder!_ You dare break into the House of Winks?! Turn back now and maybe I won't blow you to pieces!"

Lenny desperately tried to control his panting and rack his brain for rational thought. Someone… someone was invading his home. Who? More importantly, why? What did they want? Money? Perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised. Pinewood had a notoriously high crime rate, and with this demon crisis going on…

…

… it couldn't have been one of _them_ , could it?

Shit, how long had it been? The intruder had been standing outside for… Lenny didn't know; time had slowed to a crawl. What was the right way to respond to this? Fighting was out of the question; he was nothing like the heroes he portrayed in film. One good hit, and he was dust. Run? Maybe, but… did the intruder have a gun? They certainly couldn't outrun bullets. Call the police? The intruder could shoot them long before they arrived. Was surrendering their only hope?

Lenny squinted at the figure outside and saw that they were, in fact, holding something in both hands. It looked like… a rifle?! Just who was…?

The intruder finally stepped into the light; Lenny's jaw dropped when he saw his face. It was… no, it couldn't be. Why would…?

Tim lowered his staff. "Wait, aren't you… Frisk?! What are you -"

'Frisk' - or whoever it was - aimed his rifle at Tim's head.

A fresh spike of adrenaline coursed through Lenny. This person, this manic who had broken into their home, was _holding a rifle_ an _aiming it at Tim's head._ Why? Why was he doing this?!

Lenny didn't have time to worry about that. His son was in danger. The Gerbil King was fictional, but Lenny had to make his courage a reality. Casting his fear aside, he dashed towards Tim and -

" _Watch out!_ "

Golly beat him to it. She leapt in front of Tim, just before 'Frisk' opened fire. A burst of bullets bounced off Golly's rocky body. She didn't seem hurt, thankfully, but 'Frisk' had made his intentions painfully clear. Although Lenny didn't understand why, he was here to kill them. Surrender wasn't an option after all.

They needed help.

Lenny grabbed Tim and shoved him behind the kitchen counter. "H-hey!" Tim struggled in his grasp. "I can fight! I'll blow him away!"

Raltu and Ames joined Lenny behind the counter while Golly summoned a boulder and hurled it at 'Frisk.' He dodged and it shattered the wall behind him. Meanwhile, Lenny cried into the air. "Xiera! Call the police!"

Xiera, the mansion's digital assistant, chimed back. "Dialing emergency services."

While Golly threw another rock, a ring played through the home's speaker system. It was only one ring, but it felt like an eternity before someone picked up. "Emergency Hotline. What is -"

"Someone's in our house!" Lenny screamed. "He has a gun! He's shooting at us!"

"What address?" the dispatcher asked calmly.

As Lenny shouted the address, Tim broke free of him and roared at the assailant. "I don't care who you are! Behold the power of my ultimate attack! The strongest magic known to man! _Explooooosion!_ "

A burning red projectile shot out of Tim's staff. The moment it struck 'Frisk,' the whole mansion trembled as he was engulfed in a mushroom cloud. It was so impressive that Lenny honestly believed it might have vanquished the enemy… until the smoke cleared. Somehow, the attack hadn't affected the target one bit. Unscathed, he stood and aimed his rifle back at Tim.

But Golly blocked his line of sight again and charged right at him. As she wound up her fist, 'Frisk' drew some sort of baton from a belt on his waist and parried Golly's punch. She stumbled but managed to block an overhead swing aimed at her head.

"Can you describe the suspect?" the dispatcher questioned.

' _Suspect?!' Seriously?!_ "Twenty-something human male!" Lenny said. "Blue shirt, brown hair. He looks… he looks like Frisk!"

While Golly and Frisk traded blows, Ames stood and summoned his magic staff. "Even if this world is doomed, I can't just _let_ you do this."

Raltu's blue eyes lit with a menacing glare. "Hostile One will regret intrusion."

"Wait," the dispatcher said. "Frisk? As in, THE Frisk?"

Ames and Raltu moved to fight.

"I mean, that's what he looks like," Lenny said.

Bursts of hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades rushed out of Ames's staff like a machinegun while Raltu lunged at Frisk's flank.

" _Is_ it Frisk?" the dispatcher asked urgently.

"I don't fucking know!" Lenny yelled. "Just get your asses over here before we're all killed!"

As Ames's missiles surrounded and cascaded upon Frisk, he dashed between them with inhuman speed, propelled by powerful gusts of wind. At the same time, Raltu came at him like a bullet train and slashed at him with their claws. They landed a few cuts across Frisk's arms before a strike of his baton sent Raltu flying back.

While Frisk was open, Golly landed a punch and bloodied Frisk's nose. As he recoiled from the blow, Tim thrust his staff forward and cried, "I can do this all night! _Exploooosion!_ "

The blast blacked Frisk's face and knocked him on his back, but he quickly rolled to his feet and injected himself with a syringe full of a yellow liquid. All his wounds healed swiftly.

In the midst of the fight, Lenny heard frantic clicking noises coming from the speakers. "You're… Lenny Winks…? Shit… shit, shit, shit!"

"Huh?" Lenny called in confusion. "Y-yes, that's me. What's going on?"

"Don't let him kill you! Help is on the way!"

_Don't let him kill me? You don't need to tell me that…_

Golly spread her arms and tried to grab Frisk, but he leapt high into the air with a burst of wind, flipped forward, and slammed his baton into the top of Golly's head. The impact left a deep fracture. Wobbling from the hit, she covered her cracked head. "Owwie… you meanie…"

Swerving past more magic missiles from Ames and Tim, Frisk wildly swung his baton at Golly's arms and legs without giving her a chance to strike back. Chunks of rock chipped away with every hit, until one strike broke her left arm off her body. Golly whimpered. "Th-this is totally uncool…"

Lenny teeth chattered. What could he do? He had no combat abilities whatsoever. He was weak, and Frisk - was it really Frisk? - was strong. What could he possibly…?

Lenny finally remembered. Just in case something like this happened, they had kept a pistol hidden in the master bedroom's dresser. Lenny just needed to get that pistol and… protect his family.

Doing everything he could to steady his nerves, Lenny bolted across the dining room and headed into the bedroom. He pried open the dresser's drawers with trembling hands. Which one had the gun again? Fuck!

There, there! Lenny grabbed the gun, slammed the magazine into it, and cocked the chamber. Fortunately, he had a basic understanding of how guns worked, but he was no expert marksman. His mediocre skills would just have to suffice.

When he made it back to the dining room, a horrific chill ran down Lenny's spine. Frisk was covered in dust, and Golly was nowhere to be seen.

_Look what you let happen._

_Some parent you are._

… Lenny suppressed those thoughts. He could cry, puke, beat himself up all he wanted later. Ames, Tim, and Raltu were still here, and this… this _murderer_ needed to die.

No, Lenny didn't just want him dead. He wanted him _killed_. And killed, and killed and killed and killed and KILLED! With wide eyes, he aimed the pistol at Frisk's head. He was going to -

Frisk's garnet eyes locked with Lenny instantly. With a swipe of his arm, a crescent of wind magic raced towards Lenny. The force of the wind threatened to blow him away, but somehow he managed to…

"AAAAAAAAAHHH!"

The wind cut through his wrists like a scythe, severing both his hands. They fell to the floor, along with his pistol. Lenny screamed, dust pouring out of his arms. His vision blurred as the intense pain burned unbearably. H-he had just lost his hands. _His hands!_ That little shit!

Raltu dived towards Frisk again, and another scythe of wind chopped off their wings. They crashed into the floor. They squirmed, struggling to get up. Frisk raised his foot and stomped on Raltu's head, splattering it. The remains of Raltu's body twitched weakly before dissolving to dust.

With wide eyes, Tim fired another explosive missile. Frisk sidestepped the projectile, grabbed his rifle, and shot Tim in the center of his forehead. Tim's body fell lifelessly.

With all three children dead, Ames laughed darkly and ducked back behind the counter. "Ha ha… so much for our little resistance. Can't say I was expecting to die by _your_ hand, but life is full of surprises." He summoned a circle of spades around himself, _pointed_ at himself. "Still, there's one little victory I can deny you."

_What? Why is he…?_

The spades began to crash down on him. Frisk leapt above the counter and tackled Ames out of the way. The spades hit Frisk and left stab wounds all over, but he remained standing. Lenny didn't understand any of it. Why did Ames try to kill himself? And why did Frisk stop him?

"Heh," Ames chuckled. "You just have to have it all, don't you? I hope you burn in -"

With a shot of Frisk's rifle, Ames turned to dust.

' _Don't let him kill you!'_

It finally clicked. Lenny understood why they had been targeted.

Covered in dust, Frisk walked towards him. Lenny looked at the pistol in his severed hand. He crawled over it and desperately tried to grip it with his arms. He fumbled, but he tried again. He couldn't die by Frisk's hand. He had to kill himself before…

Frisk stepped on Lenny's pistol and picked it up. Looking down at him with cold, garnet eyes, he aimed it at Lenny's face.

To think he couldn't even accomplish one simple…

_BANG!_

* * *

Frisk walked out into the dark street and stretched out his arms. He felt a massive surge of power flow through him, unlike any he had felt before. He muscles felt as if they could lift something ten times his weight, and the intoxicating buzz of energy made him feel like he could take on the world. It beat the hell out of coffee. With all this EXP, he was now LV 16; celebrities were an excellent haul. At this rate, it wouldn't be long until someone hit LV 20. They just needed to keep it up.

Frisk's radio went off with a message from Cathleen. "Report."

"Clear," Seth said.

"Clear," Syleth said. "And give me more targets next time, will you?"

"Plenty more are on the way," Cathleen said. "Next."

The rest of Cathleen's troops reported in, all successful. Frisk confirmed his own status. So far, the mission was going without a hitch.

"Good," Cathleen said. "Proceed as planned. Out."

Just as Cathleen gave the order, sirens wailed close by, approaching fast. Perfect. Frisk stood by and awaited their arrival.

A convoy of four armored trucks raced down the street. Soldiers manned heavy machinegun turrets on each one. Frisk wondered if he was strong enough to…

He fired Cutting Gale at the nearest truck. The compressed wind sliced through the turret and the gunner's neck; the gun and the soldier's head both rolled off the truck.

**58 EXP**

How about that. Frisk did the same with the others, eliminating the convoy's offensive capability. He felt a perverse satisfaction as he easily beheaded each enemy.

**35 EXP**

**75 EXP**

**72 EXP**

He slashed their tires as well. The trucks spun around and crashed into each other. One flipped over on its side, and the rest screeched to a halt.

**114 EXP**

Okay, time to go. Frisk decided to take the gerbil's vehicle, a silver, high-end sports car. He had looted the keys from his dust pile. Spoils of war. He pressed the clicker and hopped inside. The engine roared ferociously as he took off.

While passing the convoy, Frisk pulled out a demolition charge from his utility belt and tossed it at the trucks. It detonated on a short timer, blasting them apart as Frisk drove away.

**621 EXP**

Frisk headed up Pinewood's hills. More armed vehicles came from ahead. Some were mounted with turrets like before, others had soldiers hanging from the sides with rifles ready. Frisk shattered the car's windshield and assaulted them with Cutting Gale. He hardly noticed their screams as he ripped each one in half.

**96 EXP 95 EXP 87 EXP 60 EXP 61 EXP 84 EXP 59 EXP 47 EXP 87 EXP**

**LV increased to 17**

Continuing up the slope, Frisk heard something above. A blinding light shined into the car. Frisk squinted at the source and saw an attack helicopter in pursuit. Its minigun lit up and riddled the car with bullets. Frisk hit the handbrake and swerved to the side. He kicked the door open, tucked, and rolled out. The impact left some bruises, but nothing serious.

Frisk looked at the chopper and saw a missile launch from its arsenal. It struck the car and blew it apart. Fragmentation peppered Frisk's body and knocked him on his back.

He hardly felt it.

The pain was as if he had gotten an antiviral shot, no more than a few small prickles. The wounds were numerous, but shallow. The missile had exploded just a few feet away, yet it was only enough to draw a few drops of blood. He absolutely should have been dead, but he had only suffered mere scratches. It was incredible. Frisk felt as if he had been blessed with divine protection.

But more trucks and APCs approached. An entire score of them spread out and closed in on Frisk. Even at his current power level, Frisk doubted he could take them all. The sheer number of bullets would still be enough, and he had no means of escape.

_No, I can't die until…_

Half of the vehicles suddenly shot up into the air. Gigantic crystals had burst from the ground and skewered them, and blinding beams of light fell from the heavens and destroyed the remaining half. Each one exploded brilliantly; Frisk wondered how much EXP it was worth.

In the sky, something charged at the helicopter. It was a winged creature, brandishing a mighty sword glowing as bright as the sun. Syleth swung his blade through the helicopter, tearing it in half. The two pieces fell to the ground and splashed dirt all over the road.

Frisk wasn't the only one who had gotten stronger.

A motorcycle drove to Frisk's side, and Cathleen stepped off. She knelt by Frisk and reached out her hand. Frisk refused it and got to his feet by himself. "I didn't ask for your help," he spat.

"I wasn't offering," Cathleen said. Although his injuries were minor, she took out a syringe and injected his arm with a shot of DT, restoring him to full health. "Come on, it's time to leave."

Cathleen got back on her motorcycle and gestured Frisk to ride with her. Ugh, disgusting. A super stretch limousine wouldn't have provided enough distance from her, but he had no choice. He boarded the bike behind Cathleen, and she continued driving up the hill.

They finally reached the top. All the others were already there. As Cathleen and Frisk got off the bike. Seth bowed. "Chieftain! Everyone is accounted for, no casualties."

"Well-done," Cathleen said. "Prepare for…"

They sensed an enemy presence.

**25**

A bullet struck Cathleen between the eyes. She violently stumbled backwards and clutched the wound. That shot would have killed any normal human immediately, but Cathleen's defense stopped the bullet before it penetrated her skull, leaving it stuck inside her forehead like a splinter. What should have been an instant kill hadn't even taken thirty percent of her HP. She still had plenty of energy to hiss and point at a nearby forest. " _Sniper!_ "

Frisk swiveled his head, searching for the source. He had heard the shot, but he couldn't spot the shooter. Where were they?

"Chieftain!" As Seth scrambled to shield Cathleen, another bullet landed in his arm. Frisk kept looking, but it was too dark to see anything. Night vision apparently wasn't one of his demon powers.

Syleth fixed that. He cast a ray of light through the forest, but even with light, all Frisk saw were trees and bushes. Where…?

**14**

Frisk felt a bullet lodge into his chest, but he still felt almost no pain. Not bothering to remove it, Frisk growled in frustration and kept searching, and he finally spotted the glare of a metal barrel poking out of some suspiciously humanoid foliage. A ghillie suit? Really? Frisk felt ashamed for being fooled by something so stupid.

Swallowing what little pride he had left, Frisk sent a blast of wind magic flying at the camouflaged enemy. They jumped out of the way, propelled by another gust of wind. They landed on top of a tree branch and called out to them. "Hey, everyone! Enjoying your killing spree? I was in the area and thought I'd -"

Dacuel jumped to another tree before Frisk's Cutting Gale chopped it to the ground. "Okay! I see you don't have time to chat! I'll get out of your way th -"

An apocalyptic barrage of fire, lightning, ice, crystal, and wind rained down on the forest Dacuel was hiding in. He disappeared into the distance as the entire place crumbled and went up in flames. Half of the forest was obliterated in an instant, just a smoldering pile of wood.

Syleth scoffed. "He pissed off in a hurry."

"Knowing him, he'll return," Cathleen said. "But for now, we must withdrawal before the enemy bombs this area."

"Coward's probably back in his bunker already," Syleth mocked.

"… can you blame him?" Syleth(?) asked, though his tone was suddenly much gentler. "Just look at us. No wonder they call us demons."

Frisk pried the bullet out of his chest and tossed it aside. He had expected more resistance, but he supposed seeing an enemy survive a bullet to the head had _effects_ on one's morale. Still, they couldn't have given up, could they? At the very least, Sans should have still been able to fight back, and Undyne should have fought no matter what the odds. Same went for Chara, and Atami _craved_ an excuse to die. What was holding them back? Why weren't they putting up more of a fight? Were they stalling for something? Unlikely. The more time passed, the stronger Cathleen's side became. Frisk couldn't see any reason why they would delay.

It was probably exactly as it appeared. They had come to fight, but once they saw what they were up against, they temporarily fell back to rethink their strategy. No way it was over; Frisk knew he would have to kill them eventually.

When the time came, he wouldn't hesitate.

He would get his life back, _all of it_ , or nothing.

* * *

_WW91J2xsIGJlIHdpdGggdXMgc2hvcnRseS4=_


	8. Don't Forget

Three days passed.

Three more days of slaughter.

Time after time, Cathleen meticulously planned when and where to strike, fostering optimal progression. With her guidance, they eradicated everyone in their path. Every battle made the next easier. Fight, kill, retreat. Rinse, repeat. In three days, they had all reached LV 19, one level away from the maximum.

But in terms of EXP, they were only halfway.

Frisk knew they had yet to realize victory. Several obstacles remained. Gaster, Sans, Undyne, Chara… there were numerous threats to be eliminated. Despite their power, it would have been foolish to permit complacency. The enemy's lack of obvious action only caused Frisk to grow more anxious. Surely they had not submitted already. There was no question that they were plotting something, but how to discern their plans? A difficult puzzle.

Try as he might, Frisk was uncertain if he would ever unravel this mystery on his own. Perhaps it would have been prudent to call on his distasteful allies for assistance. Though he was hardly fond of her, Frisk couldn't deny Cathleen's intelligence. He hoped that she might have some insight. As he began walking down the hall, he saw someone step out of the barracks, Elara. Frisk approached her. "Pardon me, do you know where Cathleen is?"

Elara looked at him blankly. "Cathleen? I think she went outside."

"Outside? Where exactly?"

She hummed and held a finger to her chin. "Knowing Cathleen, probably by the river."

Frisk nodded. "That will suffice."

He headed for the stairs, but Elara called out to him. "Hey… how are you doing?"

Frisk blinked. He didn't understand. What was the purpose of that question? They were not in combat. Was it not obvious? "Uninjured," he said.

"I mean, how are you feeling?"

Frisk tilted his head. _How am I feeling? I…_ How _was_ he feeling? Frisk had killed dozens since joining the Garnet Demons, so he must have been devastated, no? Although he had always found his reputation as a 'pacifist' overblown, it was true that he had always wished to avoid violence within reason. The thought of taking another life had made him sick, so all this killing must have…

He no longer felt anything.

No, he felt _something_ , but it was not remorse, not disgust, not sorrow. With every kill, all he felt was the satisfaction of his power increasing, but it was not enough. If, in this moment, he felt anything…

"Unfulfilled," Frisk said. "We have yet to complete our mission."

"Unfulfilled?" Elara asked. "That's not a happy feeling, is it? Well, whatever, I don't really care."

What an odd thing to say, but Frisk had more pressing concerns. He continued walking towards the stairs leading to the surface.

"I don't," Elara whispered. "Don't even know why I asked. I really, _really,_ couldn't care less what happens to you."

Frankly, the feeling was mutual. Frisk kept -

"Hey, I'm talking to you."

Sensing a threat in Elara's tone, Frisk turned. Elara's gaze was fixed straight to the ground, and she clutched her staff with shaking hands. "Don't you know it's rude to leave without excusing yourself? You should mind your manners more."

"… my mistake," Frisk said. "I'm afraid I have no time for idle banter, so I must take my leave."

"Why the rush?" Elara asked. "C-come on, I'm sure you can spare a moment. You g-gotta stop and smell the roses every now and th-then. It's what makes us h-human."

"If you have any useful information to disclose, do so. Otherwise, don't slow me down."

"I d-don't mean business," Elara said. "I just want a l-little small talk. I-is that so much to a-ask?"

"Very well," Frisk said. "Any idea how the enemy plans to stop us?"

Elara slammed her staff on the ground. "Are you f-fucking deaf?! I said _small talk_. Something _personal_ , like, what's your favorite food? Or what kind of music do you like? Any shows you're into? Hobbies? Interests? Something."

Frisk clicked his tongue. "I truly do not have time for your nonsense. Stop harassing me." He turned back towards the exit.

A faint chuckle left Elara's lips. "Right, you don't care. None of that stuff matters; I'm nothing more than baggage to you." As Frisk ignored her, she continued. "Well, I don't care about you, either. If you dropped dead right here and now, I wouldn't feel a thing. You're just a walking, talking, sack of blood and flesh… hahaha." Elara lifted her head, revealing a face slathered in tar, oozing out of her empty eyes, nose, and mouth. "I c-could kill you myself without any r-regrets… hahaha… AHAHAHAHAHA!"

Suddenly, she aimed her staff at Frisk and launched a hailstorm of dark spikes. He quickly turned and cast Barrier. The energy shield shuddered and flickered as each projectile struck it; within moments, structural integrity fell below forty percent. He countered with a crescent of sharp wind aimed at Elara's center. It tore a wide but shallow cut in her stomach. Hardly flinching, she sent a violet sphere racing at Frisk's feet. He jumped aside but was still caught in the explosion that followed. Clots of dark magic seeped into his body; he felt it course through his veins like poison, inflicting a sickening sensation. He failed to understand Elara's madness, but she was going to regret it.

As Frisk struck Elara with another burst of wind, several of the others ran into the hall. They gaped at the scene before them.

"What's going on here?!"

"It's Frisk! He's after Elara!"

"Get his ass!"

Cackling, Elara turned her staff on them. "AHAHAHAHA! I don't care anymore!" Another purple explosion knocked a row of them off their feet. The ones left standing stared at Elara with wide eyes as the others writhed on the floor. With a menacing grin, Elara fired a barrage of dark spikes at the bewildered demons. "HAHAHA! What's wrong?! I just wanna play! Come on, let's…!"

Frisk thrust his baton into Elara's chest. She went flying but flipped back and landed on her feet. "Hahaha! Yes! Isn't this fun?! I won't shed a single tear when you die!" A massive vortex of darkness swirled at the tip of her staff. "No compassion! No love! Might as well…!"

A wide beam of light shined over and seared Elara's entire body. She convulsed and fell on her hands and knees. Syleth stood over her, looking down at her coldly. "Calm down."

"Haha, nothing matters anymore," Elara said. "There's no point to anything. All the warmth is gone. I just, haha, I just want to…" Was she laughing or sobbing? Frisk couldn't tell. "I just want to care about someone, but that's gone, gone, gone." She rose, black tar and crimson blood dripping down her face. "Don't you get it? There's nothing left for me." She aimed her staff at Syleth. "So please… let's end this."

Frisk scowled. What a vexing obstacle; it needed to be removed immediately. Losing such a powerful asset was regrettable, but that which did not function correctly had to be destroyed.

He and Syleth initiated their next attack. Frisk's wind lacerated Elara's body while Syleth's light scorched it, but the target remained standing and fought back with dark spikes. Frisk growled as his barrier's integrity fell below ten percent. _Tch! If you are so insistent on dying, stand still and…!_

Someone charged through the spikes and landed a punch into Elara's face. As she recoiled from the blow, Seth wrapped his arm around her neck and seized her in a chokehold.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Seth yelled.

"F-Father," Elara breathed. "Please…"

"Why?! Are you giving up?"

Tar continued to drip from Elara's blackened orbits. "I…I can't do it anymore. J-just end me…"

"Elara…" Seth released his grip and turned her over, and Elara whimpered as Seth slapped her. "Don't be an idiot," Seth scolded. "Wasn't it you who said it has to get worse before it gets better? Did you forget?"

Elara's arms wouldn't stop shaking. "B-better, you say? It'll a-all work out in the end? D-doesn't feel like it. Doesn't feel like it! Wh-what makes you so s-sure?"

"I trust our Chieftain," Seth said. "Do you?"

"H-ha. Even now, you're s-still just a loyal dog, aren't you? Have you t-tried thinking for yourself for once? J-just because the 'Chieftain' says something doesn't make it t-true. B-besides, the _real_ Chieftain is _dead_. Dead, dead, dead! If he saw what Cathleen is doing, he'd kill her himself! He'd kill all of…!"

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Frisk interrupted. "Quit wasting our time. You have one second to cease your aimless prattle until I -"

"Do it!" Elara yelled. "That's all I…!"

Seth sent her reeling with a punch to her jaw. "That's it, then?!" he spat. "You're determined to take the coward's way out? I thought I raised you better than that. How about instead of running from the problem, you try and fix it? You chose this path; the least you can do is see it to the end."

Elara shivered. "You really still trust Cathleen?"

"You came this far," Seth said. "You already decided to follow her, or do you not trust your own judgement?"

"I… don't know."

"... you don't know?"

"I don't know what's right or wrong anymore," Elara said. "I did trust Cathleen, because she was my friend, but I'm no longer that person. I'm something else now, and this alternate me doesn't feel the same. I don't care about Cathleen, so I don't trust her. I don't know if I can still follow her, so I think it'd be best to just… put this all to rest."

"I won't allow that," Seth said.

"Don't recall asking for your permission," Elara muttered.

Syleth brandished his sword. "Fine, die then. Just stand still."

 _Wait, aren't they friends?_ Frisk thought. _How can he just kill her like it's nothing? Does he not…?_

But of course. Sentimentality was lost on creatures such as them. It was only natural to discard worthless baggage. Besides, it would be undone as soon as their mission was complete. Her death would ultimately be of no consequence, as every death before.

That was what they were fighting for; a world that would no longer know grief.

The was no emotion in Syleth's eyes as he raised his sword, and Elara bowed her head in acceptance.

Seth stepped between them, sword drawn.

"Out of my way," Syleth said.

Seth didn't move.

"I _will_ kill you," Syleth warned.

"Elara is too valuable to lose," Seth said.

"She's already lost," Syleth said. He stepped closer. "Last chance." While Seth stood his ground, Syleth sighed. "Then die with her." He pulled back his sword…

But before he could strike, someone grabbed his sword arm from behind. "Hold on a moment," Cathleen said. "Do you not think it required to consult your Chieftain before committing a summary execution of our best mage? I would expect such a critical decision to be brought up to me."

Syleth snarled. "Look who decided to show up."

Down the hall, Alpin approached. "I figured this was something she'd want to know about."

"Tell me, Syleth," Cathleen said. "Why do you believe that our most powerful mage must be disposed of?"

"She's lost it," Syleth said. "Tried to kill us. All we can do is put her out of her misery."

"Are you saying she wants to die?" Cathleen questioned. She looked at Elara. "Is that what you want?"

Elara nodded.

"If that is your will, then." Cathleen drew a pistol from her hip. "I will not force you to stay." She offered the gun to Elara. "However, I will not do it for you."

Seth gasped. "Chieftain! What are you…?"

Cathleen silenced him with a wave of her hand. Seth nodded and stood back. Cathleen kept her gaze focused on Elara as she slowly took the pistol. With shaking hands, Elara pressed the barrel against her temple. She clenched her finger around the trigger. Her breaths trembling, she...

…

Elara lowered the gun.

"Something wrong?" Cathleen asked.

"I… I can't…" Elara whispered.

"Can't what?"

She sobbed. "I can't do it."

"Can't do what?"

"I c-can't let it end like this."

"Why not?" Cathleen asked. "Did you not say you wanted this?"

"I-I want this to end," Elara whimpered, "but not… not like this."

"Are you afraid?" Cathleen asked.

"I-it's not that," Elara said. "It just… doesn't feel right to stop here, no matter how much I want to."

"So you do want to die, but there's something else you want more?"

Elara nodded.

"What, then?" Cathleen asked.

"I want to finish what I started."

After a solemn silence, Cathleen took her pistol back from Elara. "Then survive, and keep fighting."

Elara gazed at the gun. "Was it even loaded?"

Smiling, Cathleen aimed at the ceiling and pulled the trigger. There was a clicking sound, but no bullet came. Elara laughed weakly. "As if you'd let me off so easily."

Frisk groaned. "Are we done here? I -"

"Are you sure about this?" Syleth asked. "She tried to kill us, and I'm not convinced she won't try again."

"If this happens a second time," Cathleen said, "there won't be a third."

Syleth huffed. "Fine, but I'm holding you to that."

Cathleen scanned the hall. "Any other objections?" When no one responded, she nodded. "It's settled, then."

"Cathleen," Frisk said impatiently, "I need to speak with you."

"Very well," Cathleen said, "but not here."

She headed to the exit; Frisk followed. They climbed the stairway. Bastion turrets were all over the celling, electric field generators were mounted on the walls, explosive mines were placed by the floors. AlTech gear, purchased from the black market with Alpin's fortune. The defenses were as strong as Gaster's lab. No one was getting through this bunker in one piece.

At the top of the stairs, they came to a steel door. Cathleen entered a code in a keypad to the side, and the thick door opened with a weighty rumble. Sunlight poured in as they stepped outside into an emerald forest. Cathleen walked through to a nearby river. A fishing rod and a can of worms lied by the bank. Cathleen sat down, picked up the rod, applied the bait, and cast her line into the water.

Frisk blinked. "What's this for? Is there a ration shortage?"

"Leisure," Cathleen said. "I ordered everyone to rest until tomorrow, did I not?"

"Rest?" Frisk shook his head. "I cannot."

"All you can think about is the mission," Cathleen said. "Do you not find that concerning? Diligence is an admirable trait, but not all threats are external. If you complete your objective and reach the absolute, you will face one final enemy, and if you cannot remember who you are, you will fail."

"Who I am?" Frisk said. "I am the one you dragged into this mess."

"And what do you fight for?" Cathleen asked.

"To take back everything you've destroyed."

Cathleen smiled wryly. "Hmph, then we are kindred spirits. I also fight to restore what was taken from me."

Frisk clenched his fists. He wanted to scream that she was wrong, that they were nothing alike. She was the one who started this! Frisk never would have done this if… he hadn't lost anything.

As it turned out, this was how far he was willing to go to save everyone; same as Cathleen.

The river flowed gently as Cathleen's lure remained submerged. Frisk sat next to her. "You really care about them, huh?"

Cathleen nodded.

"You're risking everything for them," Frisk said. "You're aware of that?"

"I am," Cathleen said. "I know I'm playing with fire, and I would be lying if I said that I have no doubts. Those who oppose us could very well be right. Perhaps we cannot control it; perhaps we will fail.

"But I don't care. If there's even the slightest chance I can save everyone, I have to take it. I'm gambling the lives of everyone to save the few I care about. I know it's selfish, but that's the path I've chosen."

Frisk stared at his reflection in the water. "That is selfish."

A pleasant breeze blew through the forest. Green leaves rustled in the wind under the blue sky as the river kept flowing. Birds chirped in the distance, unaware of how close everything was to the edge.

"Why keep me around?" Frisk asked.

"You think we have no room for outsiders?" Cathleen said. "Garnet Village was a collection of outcasts from many walks of life. It would be difficult not to fit in."

"Wouldn't it be easier?" Frisk asked. "I helped you once, but that doesn't mean you can trust me. More importantly, I have nothing else to offer; I'm just one more demon. Kill me, and one of you becomes World Master. There's nothing special about me, so why take the risk? Unless you know something I don't."

Cathleen chuckled. "If you think I spared you as part of some grand scheme, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed."

"Then why?" Frisk asked.

"… you gave us a hard time, you know," Cathleen said. "Over a thousand attempts, was it not? We both know how it feels. Dying is painful enough on its own, but forcing your friends to do so? It was unbearable. I don't know how much longer it would have taken, but… I'm so grateful they never had to face Semi. If they had gone through his torture even once, I'm not sure I could have let it continue."

Frisk sighed. "Sure you could have; you and your friends are all determined."

"Well, even if that's true, I thank you for sparing them that pain."

"It certainly would be easier now."

"Heh, I cannot deny that. In any case, I always pay my debts. The least I can do is let you see how this ends. Perhaps you'll even be the one to do it. Are you prepared for that?"

Frisk hummed. "I don't know."

"Just don't forget," Cathleen said. "Don't forget what makes you human."

 _Don't forget?_ Impossible; it was too late. He had already cast aside his humanity to come this far. Killing all these people couldn't possibly have been the 'human' thing to do.

But if there was a way to save Toriel - save everyone - was it not inhuman to reject it? Even if they were gambling with lives, maybe it _was_ the human thing to do. Humans weren't perfect after all.

More time passed; not a thing bit on Cathleen's hook, but she kept waiting patiently. "So," she said, "you had something to ask of me?"

"Don't you think it's strange?" Frisk asked. "We haven't seen Chara or the others since Pinewood. What do you think they're planning?"

Cathleen shrugged. "Who knows? You know them better than I do. What do you think?"

"Well, they haven't given up," Frisk said.

"So they're waiting for something."

"That's the reasonable conclusion, yes, but I have no idea what for."

"We have a choice then," Cathleen said. "Either we play it safe, keep moving slow and steady, or we bet everything on one final push. 'Pull out all the stops' as Dacuel would say."

"Hmm, I would like to get this over with," Frisk said.

The water rippled.

"Alright," Cathleen said. "Then tomorrow…"

She began reeling.

"We'll finish this."

* * *

**I've forgotten who I am. I've forgotten why I'm here.**

**All I know is that I must kill.**


End file.
